Anemone
by orionion
Summary: "Remember me." "Forget about me." "Forgive me." An alternate explanation to the triangle relationship between Shiranui, Yahisa, and Shirogane. This fic is loosely based on the Winter PSP game. There will be SPOILERS.
1. Yureru

"…shiro…"

"Hey Oushiro!"

Shirogane rubbed his eyes and opened them lazily. As soon as he opened one of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of pink. Flower petals have been falling from above and landed on him silently. "_Has it been spring already?_" He wondered. His hand reached for his face to remove the pink blossoms that fell from grace. Shirogane looked at the fragility in his hand and played with them. The sensation from the petals told him that he is no longer in a dream. "_How nostalgic_," he whispered to himself, and he was reminded that he fell asleep under a cherry blossom tree.

"Come on, get up now!" The voice urged Shirogane once again. Shirogane moved his head towards the direction where the voice came from – it was his best friend, Kazuki Shiranui, and his hand is pointed at the huge clock mounted on the school building. He sat up slowly with a puzzled look on his face. He thought that he could enjoy a little timeout until the 6th period, perhaps today is not the day – he forgot about the exam that will be taking place in the 5th period. _"Ah, so that's why he is here."_

"Hahaha, look at your hair, it's all messed up!" Shiranui commented with a hint of mischievousness in his voice while Shirogane was adjusting his goggles. "Here, let me help you with it," the gray haired president of the student council offered. "We've got 15 minutes until we're late for the exam." Shirogane agreed. "Was it a pleasant dream?" Shiranui asked. Actually, Shiranui was not particularly interested in what his friend saw in the dream, he was asking for the sake of…asking. Had Shirogane been a girl, this scene would look like a shot from a romance film, unfortunately, he is not, which would have made any passerby look the opposite direction for the shear amount of embarrassment. In other words, Shiranui started the conversation just to ease the atmosphere.

"It was," Shirogane replied plainly while he was trying to concentrate on getting rid of the knots in his hair. "It has been awhile since I've had that dream," he paused to get his fingers through the locks of hair that were tangled together and continued, "what about you, Kazuki, I know you skipped the 3rd and the 4th period, that's how you could be here."

Shiranui didn't expect his friend would tease him about skipping classes. After all, they were both guilty of skipping classes. "Well…" Shiranui sounded as though he got a hard time answering the question. "Um, you see," he stopped working on Shirogane's hair, "just when I thought I could chill in the student council room, Hayato came outta nowhere, and then…well, you know how it goes, haha." Of course, Shirogane knew what would've happened if Aozora caught Shiranui "taking a break" – the blackboard. Shirogane recalled the times when he was also a victim of it and laughed bitterly at Shiranui's predicament. "Then he lectured me and said that if I don't go to class, I will be stuck in the 3rd year for another year! Of course I know that! It's just that today is such a nice day to take a nap, so I thought-"

Shirogane finished the lock of hair that he was working on and he turned around to Shiranui, "I get it, Kazuki, I really do get it." He patted on Shiranui's shoulder to convey an understanding of his sentiment and took the unfinished lock of hair from Shiranui's hands. Shiranui was reminded of his unfinished work, but Shirogane thanked him and told him that he could finish the remaining on his own. "You should hurry, Mr. President," Shirogane jested, "it would be a disappointment all the students in the exam if you could not be present on time."

Shiranui replied with _"oh stop it"_ and followed it with a laugh. He brushed off the petals and grass on his uniform, stood up and prepared to head to the direction of the school building.

"Hey, Oushiro."

"Um-hmm?" Shirogane was caught off guard since he thought Shiranui would be on his way already.

"We're friends, right?" Shiranui's tone was firm and serious. It was as though he is asking for confirmation on something that is so important that the matter of life and death depends on it.

Shirogane knew the meaning of Shiranui's tone, but he didn't know how he should respond to it. He knew that the silence would only get worse the longer he contemplated on it. Without much thought, Shirogane replied with the "obvious" answer, "Of course we are." He didn't do much to conceal the empty and forced words.

"Then all is well!" Shiranui replied cheerfully after he heard Shirogane's response. He took several steps toward to the school's direction, and he turned around facing Shirogane who had his back towards him. "You know you can come to me if you've got any problems, 'kay?" He knew Shirogane wouldn't turn around. Rather than saying this "knowledge" came from his Hoshiyomi powers, it was more of an instinct as a friend.

"Yeah…" Shirogane stopped and tried to fish for the words to say before he replied with a simple, "Thanks, _Kazuki_." As though this conversation has happened between the two many times, Shiranui replied automatically, "Anytime, _Oushiro_, anytime." He waved casually to his friend as he left despite knowing his friend would not be seeing it.

Shirogane did a final check to make sure his hair looks okay, it would've been futile if he spent all that time fixing his hair and uniform for nothing. _"Hmm?"_ He touched his face, _"How did I miss this earlier? I should've brushed them off."_ His hand landed on a tiny piece of material that does not belong to his face – it was a petal from the cherry blossom tree. Shirogane removed it and he realized it was held attached by a drop of water. The voice of Shiranui and his question lingered in Shirogane's mind.

"It must've been the afternoon dew."

He concluded quietly to himself holding onto the petal that betrayed his emotions.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> Thank you very much for taking your time to read the first chapter! I wrote this fic purely for my own satisfaction, so if you have enjoyed reading it I will be much honoured! I think this fic is more than just romance and friendship, but I will leave the decision up to the readers. Reviews are greatly appreciated! Please feel free to provide comments/suggestions/constructive criticism. Once again, thanks for reading this chapter!

**P.S.** Special thanks to **merope** who suggested "yureru" (ゆれる) as the name for this chapter. It means to shake/sway in Japanese.


	2. Silent Laugh

"Madonna-chan~" Yahisa thought she heard someone calling her and there were footsteps approaching, but she shook it off, this is the time when she needs to concentrate on the target in front of her – the national archery competition is just a few weeks away and she needs all the practice she could get. Everyone at the archery club focused their attention on her, just as she was about to release the bow, she was interrupted by the voice again – this time, it's much louder. Her attention had gone to the voice which caused a shift in her stance and the arrow missed its mark. Thankfully, no one was hurt; ironically, Yahisa could now confirm that the commotion she heard was real.

"What a pity, senpai," Kinose remarked. Miyaji, who is sitting next to Kinose, simply shook his head muttering something along the lines of how Yahisa needs to put more effort into her concentration. The Baka-Trio were discussing about the mistake earlier while anticipating the reaction from their captain. Finally, the captain of the archery club, Kanakubo, is just…smiling? It must have been a mistake, Yahisa blinked her eyes once again, and Kanakubo just sat there smiling. That smile wasn't directed at anyone, which made it look more terrible and frightening.

As soon as Yahisa turned around to make sure that she actually saw what she saw, strands of red hair and a blue ribbon came into her field of view – it was the former president of the school newspaper, Oushiro Shirogane. "Madonna-chan~ I found yooooooou!" The red hair reporter said cheerfully unbeknownst to the imminent danger that is to come. "Do you know how hard it is to locate you?" Yahisa shook her head with an innocent manner. Perhaps it was a good thing that the tall reporter blocked her sight of the archery team captain who held onto an unbreakable smile of doom. "I have been to the nurse's office but the only thing I found there was Hoshizuki-sensei taking his nap!" Shirogane explained to Yahisa his epic journey, he continued, "then I went to the student council room to look for you, but before I could enter, I heard Banchou's blackboard squeaking sound from hell! So my instinct tells me you weren't in there!" He paused for a moment as though he was letting others to absorb what he had been telling Yahisa for the last five minutes. Shirogane was oblivious to the fact that no one bothered to interrupt because they had their focus on their captain.

"Are you done?" The patient captain parted his lips at last. Everyone at the scene including Yahisa herself looked at the captain, then back to the reporter to anticipate what is about to come. No one dared to make any comments, the pressure is on.

"My oh my~ Homare-chan~ I didn't realize you were he-"

"If you would like to have an interview with a member of the archery club, you are advised to make an appointment a week in advance." Shirogane got interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

Kanakubo spoke with a stern voice that echoed through the dojo, his smile was never gone from his face. "We would appreciate if our team members remained undisturbed by reporters during their practice, especially by a _weird_ one." Even Shirogane picked up the emphasis that Kanakubo made about him.

"Homare-chan~ Don't be so cold~" Shirogane's instinct told him that he should probably back out now, but maybe he could get something out of Yahisa if he pushed a little harder. "Madonna-chan is too popular that it's hard to find her~ Right Madonna-chan?" And he just passed the hot potato right to Yahisa, who had been standing there lost within the conversation.

"E-erm…" Yahisa stuttered, "I-" She knew whatever she is about to say will land her in a difficult position.

"Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuust kidding! Kuhihi~" The reporter with goggles spoke after what seemed like an eternity. "Okay okay, I will take my leave. Oh dear, Homare-chan~ Don't be so scary~ Calm down~" Shirogane gestured with both hands to tell the smiling captain to drop his guard. "Kuhihi~ You should calm down, otherwise you'll have to take your stomach medicine~" He slowly inched his way out while he bowed his head numerous times to everyone at the scene, to Kanakubo especially. The captain's face is still the same as the moment that Shirogane barged into the dojo, he is unmoved by Shirogane's apologies.

Just before Shirogane completely disappeared from the dojo and everyone could relax, Yahisa called out to him, "Wait, Shirogane-senpai!" No one knew whether this is magic or the simple fact that a self-proclaimed weirdo such as Shirogane could practically do "anything", he appeared in front of Yahisa immediately. The tension in the dojo rose once again.

"Did Madonna-chan ask for me~? Kuhihi~" Shirogane said in his usual joking manner while lowering his head to the level of Yahisa.

Yahisa looked at the people in the dojo, then at her captain who seemed to have a tint of anxiety on his face but still kept his hostile smile in the direction of the intruder. "I-I was thinking that…if it is okay with you," Yahisa paused to ease herself from the attention, "we could have an interview after this." She could see Shirogane had been nodding approvingly, but she hadn't finish yet. "However, I hope that Shirogane-senpai would not trouble others in the future because of me."

"Done and done!" The reported said with excitement, but just as he was about to open his mouth to speak more, he was reminded of the presence of the captain…and his smile. "A-anyway~ I will see you afterwards at the rooftop garden~" He waved rabidly at Yahisa. Finally, the source of disturbance is gone…at least for the time being.

Miyaji shook his head for the nth time of the day at what has been unraveled thus far. Kinose who had been amused by the event whispered to the Baka-Trio that he wished to see whether Shirogane-senpai or captain Kanakubo is stronger. The Baka-Trio in return commented that it would be even more interesting had Haruki-sensei been here. Miyaji who happened to hear the conversation between the four of them agreed as well. As for the stone-willed captain of the archery club, he eased his smile and returned to normal while Yahisa apologized to him. "It's just one of those days," he smiled weakly at the girl in front of him while he reached for his stomach medicine.

"_You'll see, Oushiro_."

Yahisa thought she heard what she just heard from the captain who had been clutching his stomach in pain, but she dared not to ask him for clarification. _"It's just one of those days,"_ she told herself, _"yes it is."_

* * *

><p>Yahisa was thankful that the rest of the day ended rather uneventfully except for that incident earlier, although Kanakubo had to dismiss the club activity slightly early due to his stomachache. She couldn't help but to feel sorry for the captain and she made sure she had apologize to him several times again before she left the dojo. Afterwards, she made her way to the rooftop garden just as she had promised the former president of the school newspaper. She opened the door at the end of the stairs and she was surprised by the person in front of her, it was none other than Shirogane. He sat on the floor with his back against the wall, the refraction of the vermillion rays from the setting sun accentuated his hair which made Yahisa breathless.<p>

"Beautiful…" Yahisa was surprised by her own words that escaped from her lips. She couldn't take her eyes off the "weirdo" in front of her. She may not realize it now, but she would be surprised to learn that what she has done is "admiration"._ "He must've been waiting for me right after he left the dojo. I guess this 'weirdo' does get tired too."_ She chuckled at her own thought as she crouched down and wached him in silence. _"Why does he always wear a pair of goggles?"_ The viridian goggles contrasted with Shirogane's hair analogously – the prideful blue in a sea of flames. She leaned closer to inspect the goggles while she made sure she would not wake him up. "_I wonder if it is difficult to see with them?"_

"Madonna-chan, I'll have to kiss you if you keep on getting closer and closer."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The person who Yahisa thought "was supposedly sleeping" actually spoke to her and she was taken aback. Before Yahisa was about to fall backwards and land on her back, the "sleeping beauty" grabbed her by her arm and pulled in the opposite direction to break the fall.

"Kuhihi~ Madonna-chan~" Shirogane took the goggles off his eyes and placed them on his forehead. "I didn't know you're interested in a weirdo like me?" He grinned mischievously at the fallen girl in front of him.

Yahisa tried to fix her composure from the fall by removing herself from Shirogane. "W-weren't you supposed to be sleeping? H-have you been awake the whole time? D-don't you know this is not good for the heart?" Her accusations rained down on the trickster, but all he did was to laugh at the questions she threw at him and snap a few shots of her while he's at it.

"Maybe I should write in the school paper that Madonna-chan likes to look at people and touch their things when they're asleep." The red hair with braids commented jokingly as a counterstrike to the accusations lay against him. "And she is actually quite heavy too~ Kuhihi~"

"I'm leaving!" Yahisa pouted in defense while she brushed off the dust on her uniform.

"Oh~ Madonna-chan is angry?" Shirogane sounded as though he was surprised by Yahisa's reaction even when he shouldn't be. After all, he was the one who made her so. "Do you know that getting Madonna-chan angry is a compliment to a weirdo like me?" Yahisa tilted her head, and after much contemplation which she tried to figure out what the weirdo was talking about, she placed a hand over her forehead as a sign of defeat. "How about this," Shirogane proposed, "if Madonna-chan is willing to finish the interview, I wouldn't write what I just said. Kuhihi~"

"You're picking on me!" Yahisa was unhappy by what Shirogane had offered, she felt as though he put her through a series of his traps since the beginning, but on a second thought she said, "okay, I'll do it." She had a long day already and she wasn't planning on making her day any longer, at least not with this weirdo. She sighed at how all the compliments she had for him (or what little was left of it) earlier were completely gone at this point.

"Kuhihi~ Let's see~" Shirogane snapped the goggles onto his eyes again and flipped through his notebook which contains a list of questions. He placed a check mark next to Yahisa's name and her three sizes while he grinned to himself. The busy reporter caught a glimpse of Yahisa who looked at him with suspicion, and he quickly slid his pencil to the next unchecked question. "When is Madonna-chan's birthday?"

"May," Yahisa was hesitant about giving out the day, but Shirogane gestured wanting her to say more, "7th."

"I see~ Madonna-chan is a Taurus!" The poor girl nodded her head unwillingly hoping her ordeal would end soon. She never imagined it would be this way. "The next question is Madonna-chan's favourite food!" Shirogane appeared to be having a lot of fun with the questions, unfortunately, Yahisa is not. A bystander would find this amusing if it weren't for Shirogane's infamous "weirdo" title and his eerie (?) grins every now and then. Several people who happened to walk past the two couldn't help but feel sorry for the only girl in school, yet they didn't do anything to help her because they knew Shirogane was just interviewing the number one attention of interest. Indeed, it was all for the "greater good" of the male population in the school.

"What do you think about our student council president, Kazuki Shiranui?"

Yahisa was glad that the question he threw at her is no longer her personal information. Then again, the purpose of this question has to do with the impression of what she thinks of another, which others could always infer and her words could be taken out of context. In a sense, it may be just as bad or even worse than the personal questions he threw at her earlier. She wouldn't want to hurt the people around her with her words. Yahisa's concerns transcended to her expressions unconsciously, it would be an understatement to say that Shirogane didn't pick it up.

"It's alright Madonna-chan," the reporter told the girl with anxiety. The grins that he had earlier on the face were gone. It was replaced by a more solemn complexion, but the warm rays of the setting sun made Shirogane looks as though he is very gentle. Yahisa was amazed by the different interpretation she could gather in such a short time. Sometimes, light and shadow could do interesting things to people, and bring out a side that was never seen before. "Don't worry, just say what comes to your mind." His voice was low and deep, it was nothing Yahisa has heard from him before. He wasn't being demanding per se, but Yahisa could feel that he wanted something from her.

"_What could he be possibly thinking?"_ Yahisa wondered. She noticed the change of character, but she couldn't understand why he did it. The curious girl looked at the reporter with goggles and it was then she realized that the reporter in front of her is a very good friend with the president. Now she understands why Shirogane would like to know what she thinks, after all, it's very common for friends to know what others think about their own friends – _especially one that they're very proud of._

Yahisa took a deep breath and relaxed herself. "President Kazuki," she paused briefly to compose herself, "is a reliable person that I think everyone in the school can count on." She peeked at the reporter to see if he got any comments with what she just said, but the reporter just stood there diligently wrote down what she said. "There are days in the student council when we've got a lot of paperwork to do, but President Kazuki will always tell me and Hayato-kun to leave early and he will finish the rest." Yahisa smiled at the thought of that – the kind president who always looks out for people around him. "But I think that if President Kazuki doesn't skip out on his work too much, then Hayato-kun wouldn't have to spend his time chasing after the president too much, and then…" She realized this sounds like a complaint and she trailed off with, "President Kazuki wouldn't have to stay up late for them", as a conclusion without offering any explanation to her words. She smiled bitterly at the reporter as a way of saying, _"you understand this too, right?"_

The reporter looked up from the notebook he was busily writing and said with a hint of amusement, "sounds like the Kazuki I know," and he resumed with the writing. "What is the one thing on your mind about _Kazuki_?" The reporter asked again without shifting his attention from the notebook. There is something different with this follow-up question, but Yahisa couldn't figure out how "different" it is. It could be an ad-lib question because the reporter wasn't satisfied with her answer, a personal question from Shirogane because he didn't address the president's name formally, or both.

"Erm…I wonder whether I have met President Kazuki before…" Yahisa could still remember the day in the hallway that the president seemed to know certain things about her prior to their first encounter, but he didn't explain himself any further and he even denied having anything to do with it.

"Do you think we have met before, Madonna-chan?" He pointed to himself and grinned like the Cheshire Cat – the silly reporter is back. Yahisa couldn't help but to laugh at the reporter and his expression, it was too hilarious to pass. The red hair seemed to be in his entertainer spirit that he did several more wacky expressions which made Yahisa laughed even more. _"You're weird, Shirogane-senapi"_ was the compliment she gave him, it had to be squeezed in between the laughter while she clutched onto her stomach.

"Oh what have we got here? Looks like you guys are having a great time!" The voice belonged to the president of the student council. Shiranui greeted Shirogane with a nod and he patted on the secretary's head as usual. "I'm sorry to interrupt you guys, but our beloved secretary here has forgotten her duty at the student council." Yahisa's expression went from the laughter she had a minute ago to a face that only one can see at the end of the world. Shiranui patted on her head once again to let her know that the end of the world has yet to come and said in a proud fatherly manner, "Well, that's our secretary! She is very efficient, but you gotta give her reminders from time to time. She is very popular by the way."

"I wasn't even asking for your comments, Kazuki." The reporter said jokingly in return. "The school's paper already got a two page spread interview on you."

"I thought you'd be interested anyway since you might run out of things to write," replied the carefree president of the student council. "I'm just doing you a favour right now as a friend, so don't come crying to me when it's near deadline and you need more scoop from our secretary."

"Oh Kazuki~ I know you wouldn't let that happen to me, would you?"

"Who knows?" Shiranui smirked at the reporter who is now in a begging gesture. This is one of those times that Shiranui enjoyed. Somewhere in him, he hoped that this would go on forever, but he knew it wouldn't be realistic.

"I gotta get going," Shirogane patted on his friend's shoulder, "you can have Madonna-chan now." Shiranui nodded. "Here," Shirogane extended his hand Yahisa, at the tip of his index finger and his thumb it held onto a candy, "a thank you treat for the interview~ Kuhihi~" Yahisa thanked him with a smile and he left without looking back.

Shiranui held out a bento box in front of his secretary. "This is from your childhood friend. He remembered that you'll be working late at the student council so he made it for you." It was a bento from Tohzuki. "He brought it over to the student council only to realize that you weren't there. Good thing I met Homare earlier, and he told me you're here with Oushiro." Yahisa was embarrassed by her missed appointment at the student council, and now she was even more embarrassed by the fact that the president had to be the one to bring her the dinner. "Don't worry about it, eat. You must be hungry."

Yahisa received the bento box from Shiranui and she started taking away the cloth wrapped around it. Tohzuki's culinary skills are famous in the school, so it wasn't a surprise that even Shiranui would be salivating at the smell of delicious food despite he just had his quick fix of dinner at the cafeteria. "Oushiro must've given you such a hard time, didn't he?" Yahisa paused from her meal but she couldn't speak because her mouth is filled with food. It was as though the president was saying this as a matter of fact, and continued without expecting the girl to respond. "He says he's weird, but he's actually a very nice person once you get to know him." He adjusted himself from a sitting position to lay his back onto the floor so he could look at the twilight sky – this always allows him to forget all the trouble in this world. "Though there are days I still find him weird no matter what," he added and Yahisa's soft chuckle could be heard.

"He is a very important friend to me."

This reminded Yahisa of the comment she gave earlier, _"the president who is always looking out for the people around him"_. Yahisa stopped eating and she looked at Shiranui who lay on the floor next to her gazing at the sky. He never took his eyes off the sky.

"It would be great if we could be friends forever," he whispered quietly although the girl sitting next to him could hear it.

It sounded kind of odd to Yahisa because Shiranui is supposed to know what the future holds, if he doesn't then probably no one could. _"Then again, there might be some things that even the almighty president can't see,"_ she told herself.

"Sorry, I've been talking too much haven't I?" The grey hair president apologized. Yahisa shook her head while she packed the bento neatly back into the cloth. She lifted her head to the sky to admire the illuminations from millions of light years away. "Alright! I changed my mind!" Shiranui said enthusiastically. "We're gonna skip work and watch the stars!" Yahisa laughed at his Aries-like impulsiveness. "We'll start worrying when Hayato comes. And even when he comes, we'll just have to make him join us! Until then, let's just enjoy the stars and the sky!"

"Gladly!" Yahisa smiled at him.

It didn't take too long for Shiranui to realize Yahisa fell asleep. He got up and looked at the watch on his wrist. The shorter hand pointed neatly towards 9 and the longer hand pointed slightly past 4. He wondered if Hayato will be furious the next day and put him through a series of squeaky blackboard punishments. He sighed. Maybe if he is lucky, Hayato will be occupied by Tsubasa, he just got to make sure he won't be stuck in the same place at Tsubasa when that happens. Maybe if he worked hard and put in some extra time tomorrow, Hayato will forget about the punishments. Maybe he should go fishing the first thing in the morning with Oushiro so he wouldn't be back until late in the evening and Hayato won't be able to get him until the day after. Maybe…maybe- He smiled at the ideas he came up with, but he knew the answer already.

He looked at the girl who curled herself up next to him. She was smiling in her sleep. _"The night wind in summer could be chilly,"_ he thought and he puts his jacket gently on her. "I'd probably get a lot of complains from people if she catch a cold," he said to himself while removing a lock of hair from her face, "and I'll be fired from the position as her protector." He caressed the strand of hair in his hand and placed it neatly next to her.

"Tsukiko…" Shiranui suppressed his voice. "When would you be able to remember who I am?" Yahisa shifted as though she is responding to her own name in the sleep. "When the time comes, would you still be able to smile at me?" Guilt has filled Shiranui's voice as he clutched his chest with force. _"It hurts"_, the pain that Shiranui carried with him ever since that day; the burden that he had to carry and one that he could never let go until the day he is forgiven. "Can we still laugh together just like today and any other days?"

"_Thank you…"_ Shiranui thought he had woke up Yahisa, but it appeared that she was just talking in her dream. Nonetheless, he was surprised by her words. _"President…Kazuki…"_ Shiranui put his hand on her forehead lightly. "No, thank you…Tsukiko. Thank _you_."

* * *

><p>Not too far away from Yahisa and Shiranui, 26 candy wrappers laid neatly on the floor.<p>

"It's too sweet."

The character in the dark picked another candy from his pocket and started to unwrap it.

* * *

><p>"The stars…are, moving…"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Thank you for your continuous support and reading this chapter. There may be some things that might not make sense just yet, but they will be answered later on in the story. Of course, if you think you know them then please keep it to yourself XD.

I would like to extend my thanks to **merope** and **peaceful grace** for their helpful comments and suggestions in this chapter.


	3. Tilting at Windmills  Part 1

Two young adults were sitting under the tree in a hot summer afternoon. They both held onto a fishing rod in their hands, but their motivation to fish was interrupted by the heat. It was not too bad in the morning, however, as the day went on, the temperature increased. Eventually, the idea of getting a cup of iced green tea occupied their mind. The red hair started to unbutton his collar, and he complained about how the gray hair next to him should've use the "Hoshiyomi" powers so they wouldn't be stuck in a situation like this. The gray hair who was on the receiving end of the complaints told his friend impatiently that his powers are not supposed to be use for trivial things like weather forecast. The bickering went on between the two friends, although they both knew they'll be caught skipping if they were to go back to the school right now – not that people at the school haven't got that figured out already. Ultimately, the two called it a truce because they realized it could solve nothing, and they got even more heat up than before.

Shiranui made a stretch from all the sitting he had since the morning. He yawned, folded one of his hands behind his head and lay backwards on the hill behind him, while his other hand was still on the rod. His friend Shirogane followed suit. He yawned but he gave up on the fishing.

"I'm so bored."

"It's so boring."

_"Bor…ing…"_

The trio said in unison. _"A third voice?"_ Shirogane and Shiranui looked at each other with curiosity. They turned around in surprise to discover their friend with beige colored hair, Shiki Kagurazaka, who they had forgotten conveniently. After all, Kagurazaka had been sleeping the whole time ever since he arrived, and this is probably the only time he made a noise.

Kagurazaka seemed to notice the attention he got from the other two and opened his mouth to speak. "I…was, invited to come with…" He trailed off as usual. If there's anything special about this new student in the Hoshiyomi department, that would be his appetite for sleep and doing things in his own pace.

"I-I see!" Shiranui tried to make it sound as though he hadn't forgot about his "forgotten" friend. Shirogane, on the other hand, studied Kagurazaka carefully. He wanted to figure out why Shiki didn't even break a drop of sweat in such a hot weather. Kagurazaka looked at Shirogane lazily and averted his gaze afterwards.

"Arrrrgh, I can't stand this anymore!" The red hair yelled out of frustration. "It's summer, and we're stuck in school!" Beads of sweat were sliding down his forehead as he spoke. "And when we're out, we're stuck in this heat!" In frustration, he took off his goggles and continued, "Even a weirdo like me wouldn't be able to withstand or tolerate something like this! Fishing is fine, but it's such an-" He paused, wondering whether he should go on, but the heat is unforgiving. "It's such an elderly sport! We've got to do _something_!"

"What do you suggest we do?" Shiranui said with a slight annoyance as he tried to push his bangs away from his sticky forehead. He decided to let the "elderly" comment slide.

Shirogane withdrew a guidebook behind him while Shiranui looked at him with amazement. Shiranui knew better than to ask his friend how he could conceal a magazine behind him all this time, and none of them notice it. His friend, Oushiro Shirogane, is just a (self-proclaimed) weirdo. That is all _the_ explanation he ever needed to answer his own questions.

The weirdo flipped through the pages with haste and he stopped his hand on the page that features a theme park. He said enthusiastically, "I say we head there! To a theme park!" As he pointed towards the attraction one after another to Shiranui to make sure that he is interested.

"That's a great idea!" Shiranui got excited by Shirogane's suggestion and his voice aroused the interest of Kagurazaka.

"Sounds…fun…" said the beige hair student.

"Alright! It's been decided! We'll be going to the theme park this Saturday!" Shiranui made a fist with his hand and held it up to the sky.

"Wait a minute~" Shirogane interrupted the moment. He folded his arms together and looked at Shiranui and Kagurazaka disapprovingly. "I have no intention of going to a theme park with two guys~" He explained, "Going to a theme park with an all-guys group is just _saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad_!" He emphasized the word "sad" strongly. "We're boys! Healthy ones! It would be too _loooooooooonely_ if we don't have a flower with us!" By now he's emphasizing the word "lonely". If this wasn't in the middle of nowhere, Shirogane might be arrested for disturbing the peace of the public with the noise and the scene he's making. Thankfully, neither Shiranui nor Kagurazaka felt like taking out their mobile phone and calling the police.

"Ask…her to come with us." Kagurazaka spoke quietly in the background.

"Hmm, what is it~?" The red head had already forgotten about the heat and he rushed to give Kagurazaka a hug. "Oh~ Shiki-chan~ You're my bestest best friend! You get what I'm saying~!" Kagurazaka tried his best to escape from the frantic weirdo's hug without avail.

"Okay okay, I get what you're saying." Shiranui felt like he's got a severe headache after listening to Shirogane's "reasons". Not that he doesn't have a "point", but his instincts told him that Shirogane's been aiming for it since the beginning. "So? Who's gonna be the one asking?" He looked at Shirogane and Kagurazaka: the weirdo with goggle whistled as though he had nothing to do with this, and the second year Hoshiyomi student seemed like he isn't moving any time soon.

"I'm not doing it," said the weirdo, "Madonna-chan won't be going if a weirdo like me is asking~" Shiranui nodded in agreement, his friend finally said something that made sense.

"…Hello?"

The two turned around to where the voice came from. Kagurazaka had taken out his mobile phone and called Yahisa while the two were deciding.

"Yes… Would you…be available this…Saturday?"

The friends looked at one another then back to Kagurazaka. They couldn't help but think that he would be the one to do it, and swiftly too.

"Yes… The weirdo and the old man are here… They will be going too…"

Shiranui reacted to the word "old" and he made a fist at Kagurazaka. Shirogane fanned himself with the magazine he had earlier and told his friend not to over react because it isn't good for his elderly body in this heat.

"Okay… See you…this Saturday… At the bus stop."

Shirogane made a victory sign with his right hand at Kagurazaka who just hanged up with Yahisa. Kagurazaka returned the victory sign without any expression on his face, but one could see that he's filled with confidence and triumph in his eyes.

_"At least it would be sunny this Saturday."_ Shiranui sighed and rested his case.

* * *

><p>Kagurazaka looked at the time device on his wrist, the LED displayed 6:20AM. <em>"Am I too early?"<em> He wondered, but he brushed his thoughts away. _"In that case, I will just sit here and wait for them."_ He made sure this would be the bus stop the group is supposed to rendezvous, and he drifted into a slumber slowly.

"Kagurazaka-kun?"

The voice startled him. He opened his eyes and winced at the brightness of the morning sun. When he tried to identify the owner of the voice, he could only find that the rays of the morning sun casted a backdrop shadow on the speaker's visage. _"It's dazzling…"_

"Kagurazaka-kun, are you okay?"

The voice spoke again. This time, Kagurazaka could identify the speaker when she shifted her position and the breeze gently caressed her long hair tied in a ponytail under the sun. "…Morning." He greeted her, not forgetting to glance at the time on his watch – it is now 8:05AM.

"Morning, Kagurazaka-kun!" Yahisa said cheerfully, it was as though she is looking forward to today's events. "How long have you been here?" She looked at the teenager who is still adjusting his eyes from the sunlight. He looked at her, replied with "not too long", then averted his eyes from her again to where his eyes are comfortable from the menacing rays. It was then that Yahisa realized the sun behind her is the cause of his reactions. She quickly moved herself to another direction and Kagurazaka nodded to tell her that he's okay now.

"You don't know…" He said in his usual slow and lethargic tone. "There is…always a light behind you, whenever you turn ar-" Kagurazaka's words were interrupted by Shirogane's voice.

"Hey there!" Shirogane waved frantically at his friends next to the bus stop, followed by Shiranui next to him. "Madonna-chan~ Shiki-chan~" Yahisa turned around to wave at the energetic red head, then she turned back to Kagurazaka and asked him about his unfinished sentence. The interrupted teenager shook his head and said he was just commenting to himself. Yahisa apologized for mistaking his intention and gave him a smile in return.

"I can't believe it~ Shiki-chan is not sleeping!" Shirogane placed both of his hands next to his cheeks to imitate The Scream's expression.

"Actually…I was-" Kagurazaka replied quietly before he was interrupted again by Shirogane, who perhaps didn't really care about what "Shiki-chan" had to say, or maybe he was just too excited to see "Madonna-chan". Either way, it didn't hurt Kagurazaka's feelings because he knew that's how this weirdo behaves.

"Oh Madonna-chan~ You look so sexy today with that dress of yours~ Kuhihi~" Shirogane's reporter spirit, no, perhaps his pervert spirit is taking over him and he already had his camera ready. "Let me take a picture of you~" However, before he get to press the button on his camera, Shiranui stood in front of Yahisa and gave the "pervert" a quick punch to the stomach.

"Keep the school's paper clean, will ya?" It was just a warning shot from the guardian.

"Owww Kazuki~ Don't hurt this defenseless weirdo~" Shirogane begged. "It's just gonna be per…sonal use-" Shiranui inched towards Shirogane as he cracked his knuckles. The "defenseless" weirdo knew that look on Shiranui's face. "You-you see the nice weather today? It was surely a good day to go out! Hahahaha~" Shirogane wiped the sweat on his forehead which he had no idea whether it came from all the frantic waving earlier or from Shiranui's deadly aura.

"We should…get going." The silent voice broke the tension between the two third year students. Kagurazaka pointed towards the bus coming into their view. Yahisa followed and placed her hands on Shiranui and Shirogane's shoulder. She patted them lightly to tell them the bus is coming. Shirogane smiled at Yahisa sheepishly and Shiranui motioned to Shirogane that he'll be watching over him throughout the day.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Hi everyone, thanks for reading! Chapter 3 is separated into several parts because it details the events throughout the day at the theme park. I would like to post the whole chapter altogether, but I think it would be very difficult on the readers to get through 6-8k words in a sitting for just a chapter. (Part 3 of chapter 3 is still being typed as we speak, haha.)

I would like to thank the usual people **merope** and **peaceful-grace** for providing me with generous amount of feedbacks and corrections. I had forgotten the idiom and it was merope who reminded me.

I would also like to thank **Sai** for the reviews on the first two chapters. I am delighted to know you enjoyed the chapters. I always find it a challenge to write Shiranui x Yahisa moments because (in my interpretation) Shiranui always have a part of him that tells him to hold back. The only time he could be "honest" and spill his guts is (probably)when all hell breaks loose or when he's thinking to himself. :p Anyway, thank you once again for taking your time to read this fic and I hope the future chapters will keep you entertained!


	4. Tilting at Windmills Part 2

"So where should we head to?" Shiranui asked the others as he looked at the attraction guide. Yahisa and Shirogane studied the guide carefully over Shiranui's shoulders. Kagurazaka sat on the bench looking at the birds and the trees while he waited for their decision. He told them anything would be fine for him.

"Why don't we go for the classics," Yahisa suggested, "something like the merry-go-round?" Shirogane seemed interested but Shiranui had a difficult look on his face. "I've always wanted to try it…don't you, President Kazuki?" Shiranui was half-distracted by his own thoughts. Not that he hates merry-go-round per se, it's just that he thinks it's an attraction for children that's all. It would've been better if it were the rollercoaster or something that is more on the exciting side.

"N-"

"Nice idea, Madonna-chan! It would be fun!" Shirogane ignored the look on his friend's face and praised the girl for her suggestion. "Right, Kazuki~?" He looked at his friend mischievously with a smirk on his face.

"Erm…sure…" The almighty president of the student council is now reduced to a teenager who cannot make his own decisions because of something as simple as peer pressure. He slapped Shirogane hard on the back in a "friendly" manner. Shirogane couldn't help but cough a few times from the blunt force. "That's _RIGHT_!" Everyone could spot the odd note in Shiranui's voice other than himself. "It's gonna be…_FUN_!"

"Actually, President—" Yahisa was a bit concerned.

"No, it's _FINE_!" Shiranui slapped his friend several times again and Shirogane coughed a few more times. "Let's get _GOING_!" He ushered the rest of the group. "Come on, Shiki!" The boy nodded emotionlessly, but he couldn't deny that he was amused by what he saw earlier.

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.

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"So."

"So~?"

The two 3rd year students looked eye to eye at one another. They ended up in a carriage while Yahisa and Kagurazaka ended up riding the horses. It was a simple story really. The red hair pervert thought he could spend some time with Yahisa so he chose the carriage. Unfortunately, Yahisa chose one of the horses. When Shirogane realized this, he decided to switch, but the horse next to Yahisa was taken by the unsuspecting Kagurazaka. The rest couldn't get any simpler. Shiranui did as he promised earlier to keep an eye on Shirogane. Since he wasn't thrilled about the merry-go-round, it didn't matter to him whether he'll be "the prince on a horse", or "the princess in a carriage".

"Geez Kazuki~ Stop looking at me like that~" The weirdo tossed and twisted around inside the tiny carriage that is meant for children. "I don't wanna be stuck here~ I want Madonna-chan~"

"Serves you right, Oushiro." Shiranui laughed at his friend for the poetic justice that was served. He looked out the window of the carriage to see Yahisa and Kagurazaka enjoying their time. _"All is well as long as she's enjoying it."_ His lips curled as he studied her thoughtfully.

Suddenly, a flash of light interrupted Shiranui's thoughts. After a moment of exposure, he realized it came from none other than the photographer in front of him.

"Don't mind me~" Shirogane moved his hand in a shooing manner to tell his model to go back to his pose. "Come on~ You only said I can't take pictures of her, but that doesn't mean I can't take pictures of you~ Kuhihi~" The reporter had a grin on his face that Shiranui would like to wipe away. "Don't worry, I will give you a copy afterwards~"

"I don't want it." Shiranui rejected bluntly. He shifted several times trying to land a comfortable sitting position without getting into contact with the stalker in front of him.

Shirogane teased his friend, "Well well well~ I guess I'll have to give it to Madonna-chan~"

"I'll have it." The president changed his mind abruptly. The idea of "who knows what this weirdo is going to say when he hands her the photo" alerted him like a siren in his mind.

"So you want it~?" The joker singed playfully.

"Yes," said the annoyed president.

"Okay, I will make two copies and I'll give one to you and one to Madonna-chan~!" It was obvious that Shirogane is enjoying the teasing and the fooling around he is having with Shiranui.

"Ou-shi-ro!" Shiranui leaped at Shirogane just when the music and the merry-go-round ended conveniently. Of course, anyone could've known what is going to happen if a teenager who stood at 178 centimeters is going to jump another person in a constricted space when the ride had just stopped. He will either hurt his head or land on whoever sits on the opposite side of him due to gravity, or both. His voice was so loud that made the other two on a horse and people nearby turn around.

A concerned Yahisa and a curious Kagurazaka got off their rides to come to their friends' aid. The operator also came to inspect whether everything is alright with the people inside the carriage. The moment that Yahisa opened the carriage it was like she opened the box of Pandora. Shiranui lay on top of Shirogane in a compromising manner. The grey hair on top had one of his hands grabbing the collar of the red hair at the bottom, while his other hand pulled at the opposite direction that the buttons are trying to hold together. The red hair had his hand on the wrist of his assaulter with the other hand on the assaulter's mouth. Both 3rd years looked at the girl who opened the door who is now blushing by what she saw, Kagurazaka who peeked through the windows, and the shadow of the operator who stood behind Yahisa.

The first to open his mouth was Shirogane. "Oh Madonna-chan~ You caught me in such an embarrassing situation~" Shiranui wanted to wrestle himself out of the lock he made with Shirogane so he could counter the misleading statement made by the reporter, but it was futile. "Kuhihi~ Kazuki, don't behave so violently~ Otherwise my fragile body is going to get hurt by your brute penetrating force~" Shirogane purposely made his voice inaudible as he added "from the fall" after his distorted statement. It was obviously a lie, the pervert had the upper hand but he was the only one who knew it – excluding Shiranui who couldn't talk.

The poor girl who opened the door innocently is now blushing profusely. She apologized for disturbing the two and ran away to place some distance between herself and the embarrassment of the two senior classmen. Kagurazaka, who had been watching through the window as the event unfolded, nodded approvingly to himself. The operator who overheard the words of the red head couldn't look the two in the eyes and he cleared his throat several times out of embarrassment before speaking. He left promptly to avoid the awkward moment after he reminded them that this is a family oriented theme park. Shirogane finally let go of his hands on Shiranui and the two got out of the confinement where they shared an "intimate moment". The former hummed to himself happily while the latter lost all the spirit in him. If there is a river nearby, he would drown himself in it, but not before dragging his friend along. However, that wasn't his priority.

"T-Tsukiko." The disgraced president of the student council approached the girl who just ran away from him moments ago. "I-it's not what you think." The girl turned around and looked at him bashfully. "It's all Oushiro's fault, he took a picture of me and he said he is gonna give you a copy of it, so I-" He stopped before he got himself into more trouble.

"President Kazuki," the girl began, "is it all right if I have it? The picture that Shirogane-senpai talked about…" Shiranui was surprised with what the girl said to him.

"W-why of course!" Shiranui brushed his hair back nervously.

"Thank you. I've got a picture of everyone in my album except for you, Shirogane-senpai and Kagurazaka-kun." Yahisa looked at her feet and continued, "I am having a great time in Seigetsu, and I want to remember everyone who I have met." She lifted her head again to smile at her president. "_Each and every one of them_." Shiranui's thought dwelled on the girl's last sentence, but he didn't make any comments about it.

"Definitely. I'll let you know when I've got—_extracted_ it from Oushiro." The Aries was entertained by the many different forms of "torturing" his friend coursing through the brain. The girl nodded hesitantly after noticing the way things are said, but she decided that it's one of those moments similar to her archery captain's "musings".

"Awwwww~ Isn't this cute, Shiki-chan?" Shirogane lay his arm over Kagurazaka's shoulder while he adjusted the focus on his camera. As soon as he got the right focus, he quickly snapped a photo of the two from afar.

"Yahisa…is cute," Kagurazaka replied Shirogane as a matter-of-factly.

"Oh Shiki-chan~ Could it be~?" Shirogane reprimanded Kagurazaka jokingly. "No you can't! Madonna-chan belongs to…_Kazuki_!"

"'kay…" The 2nd year Hoshiyomi student replied obediently that Shirogane couldn't tell whether it was an answer to get him to shut up, or an answer to demonstrate he has no interest and it was a compliment out of good faith, or it was just Shiki being himself.

"Anyway, let's go, Shiki-chan!" The reporter pointed to the direction of Shiranui and Yahisa. "We haven't got time to waste~"

In light of this incident, the theme park made it a rule on the merry-go-round that couples are not allowed to ride together in the carriage.

* * *

><p>"Kagurazaka-kun," Yahisa wondered, "is there any attraction you would like to try?" Kagurazaka blinked at her question the same time when she handed him the guide. "I thought that perhaps you have something you want to try?" The teenager looked at the guide and placed his index finger on-<p>

.

.

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"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT IS GOING OOOOOOOOOOOON~?" Shirogane made The Scream face, but this time, he meant it. He couldn't believe what he just experienced – actually, it's still ongoing. His surroundings were spinning as though he was on LSD, not that he had taken them before, but he imagined it would be something similar. "STOP IT SHIKI-CHAN, STOP IT STOP IT!" The weirdo was nearly in tears. "PLEASE~ I BEG YOU, PLEASE~" If Shirogane could make a seatbelt out of his own hair, he would have done so by now. Kagurazaka replied with a simple "no", but it wouldn't have mattered what he said, because Shirogane had been traumatized by what he is experiencing that nothing could enter his ears.

Shiranui was leaning on his chin supported by his arm. He was delighted to see the teacup next to them is swiveling at its maximum speed. "President Kazuki, looks like Shirogane-senpai is having a lot of fun," commented the girl with a ponytail. She looked at the teenager who was at the bottom of his life a moment ago, but now his attention is attracted by what he set his eyes upon.

"That he is," Shiranui replied with evil shimmering in his eyes.

20 minutes ago, Kagurazaka walked up to Shiranui who is drowned in his own despair. The second year Hoshiyomi student is not a person of a lot of words. He told his senior that his "enemy's enemy is his friend" and left things at that. Shiranui couldn't fathom what was meant by that back then, but he "kinda" understood the moment he saw what went on inside the teacup spinning at an accelerated speed. He wondered when he made himself an enemy of Shirogane or if Kagurazaka's words made any sense at all, but he shrugged them off. _"Thanks Shiki,"_ Shiranui chuckled to himself.

"What are you thinking, President Kazuki?" Yahisa looked at the smiling Shiranui with curiosity. "I'm glad you seemed okay now, you were…" She paused searching for the right word to describe Shiranui's uncanny situation earlier.

"Don't worry about it, it's cool." He told the girl and then there was an awkward silence between the two of them. They usually have a lot of things to talk about even when it was just the two of them in the student council office, but today was different.

"…Hey"

"Erm…"

Words came out of their mouth at the same time. Shiranui gestured "ladies first" to Yahisa, she nodded and thanked him. "I have always wanted to ask you about this," she sounded unsure but it didn't stop her, "have we met be-"

"No," the president replied adamantly before the secretary could finish her question. It was as if Shiranui was programmed to deny anything and everything if Yahisa were to mention anything of it. He could see that the girl was disappointed by his abrupt reaction. However, there is nothing he could do. It was a necessary evil for Shiranui.

"I-I see. I guess I have mistaken. Sorry." She withdrew her eyes from him and set her eyes upon the scenery spiraling around her. The awkward silence infiltrated the two again.

"Tsukiko, what do you think my powers can do?"

Yahisa turned around immediately upon hearing her name. She studied at him attentively and juggled the question in her mind. "I am guessing it's something like a weather forecast? There are days you will be accurate, and there are days you will miss." Shiranui laughed at her analogy and she laughed along with him. He joked that she could call him anytime if she wants to know when it rains.

"Somewhat," he replied after putting the joking aside. He resumed his original position where he put his hand under his chin with his eyes studying the ever changing surroundings. It was an inconvenient place to stop a conversation, but Shiranui didn't feel like elaborating any further.

There are too many things going on in his mind whenever he is with her. He tried to be cheerful and outgoing around her, but sometimes the happier he is the guiltier he feels afterwards, because his conscience would remind him that the pleasure he feels around Tsukiko is how it should've been if "that" didn't happen. There isn't a day that he isn't apologizing to her in his heart for the times that he withdraws and rejects her out of the blue when he realized he got too close. That's why he always prefers to watch over her from a distance instead of interacting with her directly. Though realistically speaking, what he has done isn't a matter a choice, it's what he must do to protect her from himself.

"President Kazuki?" Yahisa waited for Shiranui's reaction before going further – he looked at her without saying anything. The girl felt intimidated by the expressionless façade. She knew something was wrong every time she asks him that question, but she got no proof or evidence to call him a liar. "I may be speaking out of turn and I know nothing about the problems you are facing…" He was unmoved. "But I think, I think that…" Yahisa held onto the last words she was saying, and then she took a deep breath. "You should believe in the people around you." It was finally loaded off her chest.

"We are here because we like you, President Kazuki!" She had no idea what prorogated her to speak her mind this time. "You have been looking out for us that is why people trust you and gather around you. This has nothing to do with your powers! We like you, we believe in you…" Usually, she would tell herself that there are things people would like to keep to themselves and she should respect that privacy, but this time, everything seemed different. Maybe it had to do with the dizzy feeling she has been getting from the ride. "In return, why don't you believe in us?"

Shiranui felt perplexed and bewildered by her words. Several times during the speech he could see her as the little girl who stood in front of him in the past. She was the one who stopped him from abandoning the world and those who love him.

"Hahaha," he laughed out loud. It was such a cruel joke for him to relive the experience again. He was thankful for this experience but somewhere deep inside of him, he resented it. However, there is one thing that he could be certain – it was a relief for him to find that she never changed. Perhaps the laughter he had wasn't a laugh out of joy, it was a cry out of self pity concealed in a laughter. Or maybe it was mixed with the cries from hell that Shirogane has been emitting nearby. He doesn't know anymore, he doesn't care anymore.

"_How much more guilt do you want to put me through, Tsukiko?"_ Shiranui asked himself. He wasn't blaming her. It was a way for him to ascertain that his suffering will actually make a difference, that it actually meant something – _anything_. Throughout the years he tried to search for things that could make up for what happened that day, nothing could. Because memories, while being the most fragile and immeasurable substance in this world, hold the heaviest weight and the highest irreplaceable importance. Only a fool who knows not the value of memories will take it upon himself – and Shiranui is a fool.

"I am such a fool." He ascended from the spot he had been sitting for the last 5 minutes. The ride ended. "I hadn't thought of that." He smiled at Yahisa. It was a lie. He thought about it many days and many nights. This was the very reason that would stand in his way to prevent him from doing what he had to do if he did exactly what she said. Truth and sadness are intertwined; lies and happiness go hand in hand. Ironic as they may be, they are nested in the foundation of every human relationship – the fool knows this much.

"Thanks, Tsukiko." Shiranui extended his hand to Yahisa. Each time he touches her, his fingertips feel like they are being shredded into pieces by her gentleness. She took his offer and laid her hand on his palm. It was cold and lifeless. It was nothing like the President Kazuki she knows in Seigetsu. This felt like the hand of a sinner, and the touch reminded her of the one that held onto her in the past even though she couldn't remember who or when.

"President Kazuki, are you not feeling well?" She had to ask, this is the kindness that comes with Yahisa.

Shiranui pointed to the teacup next to them and said, "I think he is the one you should ask." The girl with a ponytail followed the direction where Shiranui was pointing. She saw Shirogane got knocked out by the supposedly "harmless" ride and his hair was messed up. Kagurazaka sighed and made a note to himself that he should at least take Shirogane on a similar ride once again, because it was too interesting to pass.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Welcome back and thank you so much for reading! (There is nothing I can say but to say thank you to everyone who spends their time reading this fic.) I think this part is particularly tough on me since it is difficult to grasp the characters from what little the game has shown its audience. Both Shirogane and Kagurazaka are sidekicks...well not to the point of being sidekick-sidekick, but important-sidekick. The Winter PSP game didn't provide a lot of information about Shirogane (let alone events even though he has a route added for him). Then there is Kagurazaka who we only get to learn from the drama CDs and magazines (he was never featured in any games at this point). I could only surmise how the two react with one another based on my unoriginal creativity (yes that was an oxymoron haha), so hopefully I did those two characters justice and if I didn't please let me know. :)

As usual, thank yous to **merope** and **peaceful-grace**!


	5. Tilting at Windmills Part 3

"Guys~? We gotta sit down and have a nice chat~" Shirogane had enough with the exhaustion he got from the day. He thought this was going to be a day where he could spend some quality time with Madonna-chan, but things didn't go along his plans. First of all, he didn't get any "decent" pictures of her. Secondly, he didn't get to spend any 1-on-1 time with her. Third and finally, he didn't even get to pick his attraction. The only triumph he had turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory. The final blow was brought upon him by Kagurazaka, who didn't seem "lethal" at first.

"Are you tired, Shirogane-senpai?" Yahisa was the first to turn around. "Do you need to drink something?"

"Ah~ Yes yes yes~ YEEEES!" The tired reporter sprung into life after hearing Yahisa's offer. "Madonna-chan is the only one who is nice to me~" He took the water bottle from the girl while he pretended to shred a tear. "Kazuki and Shiki-chan, you guys are big meanies!" Then he made a face at them. Shiranui muttered "whatever" knowing full well what his friend is trying to do, and Kagurazaka simply looked away and sat next to his senior classman under the shade.

Shirogane felt relieved after gulping the cool water down his throat. "Kuhihi~ I'm alive~!" He announced to everyone, but Yahisa is the only one who actually cared. She asked if he needs more water, but he waved his hand to let her know he is fine.

"Ahem…" Shirogane cleared his throat. "Ahem!" He attempted to catch their attention once more, but he didn't get the attention from his two friends. Yahisa wondered if the senior classman got something in his throat. "Kazuki~ Shiki-chan~ Don't ignore me~" He realized he couldn't get any attention from them so he gave up.

"Did you hear something?" The gray hair asked his beige hair companion with a sneer on his face. Kagurazaka shrugged. "I thought so." It was very obvious that Shiranui and Kagurazaka are ignoring the attention seeker. They might have been talking about the disaster that Shirogane experienced earlier, but no one knows except for those two.

"Madonna-chan~?" The defeated red head changed his tactics. "Let's go to this one~" He grabbed his guide and shoved it in front of Yahisa with his index finger landed on an attraction. Yahisa leaned closer to read the fine prints. "It's the featured attraction~"

"B-but-" The girl replied hesitantly.

"It's gonna be okay, Madonna-chan~ I'll be there with you~" Shirogane said confidently.

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.

Reality is a really interesting concept. It often hits you when you least expected it, but no matter how "unrealistic" it may seem at the time, you still have to face it someday. Shirogane is troubled by this right now. Minutes ago he was telling Yahisa how he would be the knight in shining armor to defend her from any evil spirits that may cross their path. Apparently, he miscalculated sorely and he had been hiding behind the girl whom he swore to protect ever since he was spooked by an adorable looking poltergeist.

"!" Shirogane shrieked and squeezed Yahisa's arms tightly when Frankenstein landed its artificial hand on his shoulder. Shiranui and Kagurazaka who went in before them could probably hear his distressful agony. If they did, they might be laughing at him right now. Ironically, it was Shirogane who rejected the other two's offer to enter as a group of 4 people. He told them it is now his turn to spend time alone with Madonna-chan. The older Hoshiyomi student looked at his unreliable friend with doubtful eyes but the younger one whispered in his senior's ear that Shirogane wouldn't last very long inside. It didn't matter to him whether it was Kagurazaka's Hoshiyomi powers or his personal instinct. Shiranui scoffed and remembered what happened earlier. He didn't object. He told his friend to take care of Yahisa with a peculiar smile on his face and he went in with Kagurazaka.

"Shirogane-senpai…" Yahisa turned around to let him know everything is fine now and none of the things in this haunted house is real. The frightened teenager couldn't open one of his eyes to look at the girl in front of him. "It's going to be okay." She touched the hands that have been grabbing onto her arms for quite some time. Shirogane probably realized he had been putting too much pressure on her arms so he let go of his strength, but not the grip.

"M-madonna-chan!" The 182 centimeters tall Shirogane looked like a kitten drenched in the rain, his voice cracked from the endless wailing he had earlier. "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" He screamed again, this time it was an actor dressed up as a witch pulling on his long flaming hair. It was as though Yahisa had prepared herself for this, she had her hands on her ears when she saw the witch creeping up behind the about-to-be-petrified red head. "I-I-AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Shirogane was interrupted before he could finish his sentence. He waved his hand in the air frantically trying to get all the evils away from him. There was nothing Yahisa could do but to tell him that they would be out of the haunted house soon, although she could remember from the guide that this attraction is famous for its size and distance covered.

Sometimes, all it takes is a push to cause things to spiral out of control. It started with a poke coming from a headless mummy. Shirogane knew he shouldn't turn around to look but his curiosity got the better of him. He was relieved to find that it was headless at first, though when he saw the other 5 headless mummies behind it, his fear consumed him once again.

"W-wait, Shirogane-senpai!" Yahisa called after Shirogane who finally let go of her. The frightened kitten has turned into an antelope in distress. He made a dash in the dark and he didn't care whichever direction he is going. "Shirogane-senpai!" She tried calling after him again but he is gone. Yahisa looked at her mobile phone hoping that she could call the other two ahead of her. She wanted to ask them for assistance, but she realized there was no reception in the mansion. She sighed.

"I should look for Shirogane-senpai," she told herself despite having her own evils to confront. She got no idea how she obtained it, but ever since she was a child she couldn't stand being locked in an enclosed area – it could get worse if the area is devoured by darkness. Luckily, the haunted house is neither a cage nor a black hole – it has exits and dim lighting albeit eerie. She just needs to find the exit along with the miserable boy who ran off without her. _"I will be fine."_

Shiranui looked at the watch on his wrist. It had been 20 minutes since he got out of the haunted house and saw Shirogane waiting at the exit. "_As expected from the transfer student_," Shiranui thought to himself. He was impressed by Kagurazaka's words, but at the same time he couldn't help but to notice the missing girl who is supposed to be with Shirogane. He asked the red head who is trying to catch his breath, and the answer made him worry even more.

"You what?" The president almost yelled at the top of his lungs. He knew he shouldn't have such a huge reaction, but he couldn't help himself after knowing who is in there.

"Gimme a break Kazuki~" The red head is still trying to catch his breath. "Say, where's Shiki-chan?"

"He went off on his own inside the haunted house," Shiranui answered quickly. He wasn't too concerned because the transfer student seemed to be enjoying his time in there. "He should be out soon," he added. As soon as he finished speaking, Kagurazaka stepped out of the house. The latecomer stood in the shade to adjust his eyes, even though it's now 6:42 in the late summer evening and the sun started to make its descent into the west. Kagurazaka glanced around and he noticed Yahisa's absence as well.

"I didn't see her." Kagurazaka replied as though he knew what Shiranui is going ask. This plunged Shiranui into anxiety. He checked his phone and placed a call to Yahisa, but the voice from the other end is an automated message that tells him the user is currently out of range.

"I've got to find her!" The worried guardian told the other two. He couldn't conceal the urgency in his voice.

"Calm down, Kazuki~ Madonna-chan will be out so—" Shirogane didn't get to finish his sentence, the glare shot by Shiranui stopped him.

"I'm going in." Shiranui hurried himself to the entrance followed by Kagurazaka. "Stay here, Oushiro. In case she comes out anytime." Shirogane nodded and watched the two disappear into the house with a complicated look on his face.

* * *

><p>"It's…so dark in here." Yahisa could hear her own voice, and the eerie music that was supposed to be in the background could no longer be heard. <em>"Where is Shirogane-senpai?"<em> She asked herself. She looked around and there were no lights where there used to be. Fear started to take its form in the lost girl's mind. "Where…am I?" She could feel her voice trembling. "Am-am I alone?" She couldn't control her body from shaking and she realized her palms are sweating.

Squeak-BAM!

It was the sound of a door closing in the distance and that was all it took for Yahisa to lose her last thread of sanity.

"N-n-no….." Tears were forming in her eyes and she started to breathe rapidly. "S-someone, please, a-anyone!" She couldn't stop the dreadfulness building inside her. She couldn't think properly, she didn't know what to do. "Please…don't leave me alone…" She crouched on the floor in a fetal position with her head on her knees. "Father…Mother…" She sobbed. "Suzuya…Kanata…Yoh-kun…" The tears stained the hem of her dress, it was her favourite dress. "Kagurazaka-kun…Shirogane-senpai, where are you… Where is everyone?" Yahisa tried to recite the names of the people close to her so they could bring her temporary peace. Unfortunately, it only made her more upset.

"I'm sorry President Kazuki…" She recalled how she told him to believe in the people around him. "I'm sorry…" She said it once again knowing that he may not get to hear her apology. "I told you with confidence that you should believe in us…but I-I…" Yahisa couldn't get herself to finish her sentence because she was reminded of Shiranui's smile when he helped her off the ride. It wasn't a smile out of kindness – it was a smile of pain, of sorrow, of suffering. She didn't notice it then, but she noticed it now. "H-how could I tell you to believe in us when-when I am like this?" She realized how cruel she was to say something like that to Shiranui when she couldn't keep her end of the promise – she lied.

"Ungh!" Yahisa clutched her head in pain. "My head…hurts!" The throbbing wouldn't stop and she started feeling nauseous. "W-what is…going on?" She tried to rub her eyes and wipe away the tears, but it didn't change the fact that her vision is starting to fade away…not that it mattered in the dark. She screamed in agony as a series of pain travelled through her brain. Fragments of images rushed into her head but she couldn't make sense to any of them.

"P-president Kazuki?" She thought she saw the president in one of those flashes, but she wasn't sure. It wasn't exactly the president – it was a young boy who looked like the president. Could it be him? After all, it wasn't too long ago that he denied her accusation. Perhaps Yahisa was too desperate that even her mind is playing games with her, and she laughed weakly at her own misery. "I-it's all my fault… I…am…s-sorry… President Kazuki…" She whispered the apology under her breath.

Then another wave of pain hit her again, this time she saw a boy with an oversized cap in front of her. Yahisa wondered who it is this time, but she couldn't see his face because he was looking at the opposite direction. "_Remember me_," said the boy. "_Please remember me_," he reminded her again and he turned around slowly to face Yahisa.

"Y-you are, S-" And she let go of her consciousness.

There are nights when Yahisa would wake up to find herself in tears. Although she couldn't remember much about what happened in her dreams, she would wake up with a feeling of emptiness that she made her felt nostalgic. It was as though someone somewhere had taken a piece from her and kept it locked away in a place that she will never be able to find. Of course she informed her childhood friends about this, but whenever they heard this from her they would have this strange look on their face. Nanami will start to stammer and look at Tohzuki, then Tohzuki will tell her not to worry about it and present her with his latest dish. She never doubted their behaviour because they are her friends. Even if they are hiding something, there must be a reason why they are doing it.

.

.

.

"…kiko…"

Yahisa heard someone calling her name.

"I'm sorry…Tsukiko… I am so sorry…"

The unconscious girl wondered why someone is apologizing to her. If someone has to apologize, it would be her.

"You are going to be fine…Tsukiko…"

She felt a hand brushing away the messy hair on her face. It wiped away the tears at the corner or her eyes gently as though they were never there in the first place. She winced when the hand rested on her cheek. It was cold, but it was nice and comfortable.

"Tsukiko… I am sorry I did this to you…"

The voice sounded painful. It sounded like a father who lost his child, a person whose best friend had passed away, a lover who will never see his other half. She could feel her heart torn apart by this voice. She felt sorry for this person, she wanted to comfort him and let him know that she will be fine. Yahisa opened her eyes wearily – she wants to find out who this person is. Before she could open her eyes completely, the person lifted her up and held her close to him.

Yahisa felt the tickle that came from the contact his hair made with her face. She could feel his warmth against her body, but she couldn't see his face. _"Why is it that when we hold each other so close together, we cannot see their face?"_ Yahisa asked herself. She lifted her heavy arm and patted the person on his back. "There there," she whispered in his ear, "I am fine now." If Yahisa had a mirror in front of her, she would be able to see how pathetic she looked.

"Liar…" The voice told her and she giggled weakly. "Sleep," he said. "Everything will be fine…_everything_…" He held her tighter than before and whispered more into her ear, but Yahisa couldn't fight her drowsiness. She fell into slumber before she could hear what he said.

* * *

><p>Yahisa opened her eyes to the noises nearby. The clear blue sky had been replaced by stars.<p>

"Oh Madonna-chan, you're awake~! I am so worried about you~!" It was the weirdo who left her in the mansion. Yahisa felt something soft underneath her head. "Oh don't be shy~ Kuhihi~ You can rest your head on me as long as you want~ Oww…I can't move…help me~"

"Shut up, Oushiro, you were the one who left her in there. You gotta make up for it." The president had his arms crossed in front of him. "How are you feeling, Tsukiko?"

"I-I'm fine." Yahisa tried to remove herself from Shirogane, she felt bad for resting her head on the person who is responsible for running off on her, but Shiranui motioned for her to stay put. "I'm really sorry that I got everyone worried about me," she said embarrassingly. Kagurazaka didn't say anything, he gave her a smile when he heard that she was okay.

"Then it's all good." Shiranui nodded his head approvingly. "I will be in a lot of trouble if something happened to you."

"Look…" The beige hair teenager pointed his index finger towards the night sky – it was the fireworks at the end of the day. None of them made any noise afterwards. Each of them reminisced the events happened today as they set their eyes upon the bright lights that lit across the sky. Kagurazaka placed his eyes on Yahisa thoughtfully, then he looked at the president and the reporter who sat beside her. He returned his gaze back to the girl who seemed to forget about all the trouble that happened earlier. She was mesmerized by the fireworks and her eyes reflected the spectrum given off by the transient lights in the sky. _"What are you looking at?"_ He pondered and placed his hand on his shirt pocket. "_What do you see in your eyes?"_

* * *

><p>Yahisa noticed the reporter is missing a braid while the group was on the bus. "Shirogane-senpai, your hair…"<p>

"Kuhihi~ Madonna-chan you noticed?" Shirogane seemed happy that the girl had paid attention to his hairstyle. "I think I probably lost one of my ribbons back there~ I liked it a lot too~ Oh well~" There was a hint of disappointment in there somewhere, but Shirogane swept it away.

"If you don't mind, I could show you some of the ribbons I have." Yahisa had no idea why, but she got this feeling that she wanted to make up for his loss somehow.

"Really? Kuhihi~ I can't believe Madonna-chan is soooooooooo nice to a weirdo like me!" Every cloud has a silver lining, even for weirdos like Shirogane. The president who sat on the other side of the row commented on how his secretary is being too nice to his undeserving friend who caused nothing but chaos throughout the day. He yawned and decided to take a nap. The bus rocked back and forth slowly as though it was singing a lullaby to the exhausted passengers. Yahisa and Kagurazaka fell asleep after Shiranui.

"Hey Shiki-chan, get o-" Shirogane tried to move the sleeping Kagurazaka off his shoulder when he noticed a thin fabric slid out of the sleeping beauty's shirt pocket which landed on his knee. He picked it up while he made sure the boy is still sleeping soundly, then he looked around to make sure the others are not awake. He opened the window carefully without making any noise and disposed the ribbon in the wind. "Touché."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Thanks for reading the conclusion of this long chapter! It was an epic journey for me haha. The outline took me a day to write, but the chapter itself probably took me 3-4 days. I spent a lot of time deleting the parts that I wasn't too happy with, but there were a lot of them unfortunately. :p There were also some parts that I would like to include, but I feel that it might be too long so if there is a chance in the future, I might add it somewhere as a side story or make it as a part of some recap chapter. Since I have nothing planned too far ahead, I'll just leave this as it is.

The whole chapter felt like an emotional roller coaster ride for the group, they each have their own share of tilting at windmills. Sometimes, the characters don't even know what they want or what they really want to do until the very end, so they may do things that contradict their goal with or without knowing. This is the "human error" I tried to imitate and capture in this chapter. I hope I left enough descriptions to let you guys think about who those people Yahisa encountered might be. I would love to be blunt and direct, but I think it will take the joy away from the readers. There is always something new to discover between the lines and things in each chapter add up (or at least I try to make it so that they do add up). XD

**Sai**: Thank you very much for leaving your reviews again. It is always a pleasure to read and reflect upon them. I am not a fan of Kagurazaka, so I was surprised that I actually included him and gave him a lot of screen time in this chapter. I kinda liked how his character could come to my assistance when I am out of plot haha. It is a relief for me to know that you find the 'intimate moment' amusing. I had a lot of fun writing it :)


	6. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 1

"Huh? Me?" Shirogane said with amazement. "No way! Are you serious, Madonna-chan?" Shirogane couldn't believe what he just heard from the girl who stood in front of him with anxiety. There are 5 minutes until the play begins and the student who is supposed to play the main character, the Aurelian Beast, is sick.

"Shirogane-senpai, please!" Yahisa knew the play could be jeopardized because she could not find a replacement for the actor in the last 45 minutes. She asked her childhood friends, but they weren't able to help because they had their own attraction, "Butler Café", to take care of. She also asked for the teachers' help, but they got to supervise the students and none of them could leave their duty. Likewise, she did the same with the people in her archery club and the student council, but all of them are tied down with their own schedules and they wouldn't have a moment to spare. She did try to look for the second year Hoshiyomi student, but as usual, he was nowhere to be found – that is why Yahisa is here asking the last person she could ever think of – Oushiro Shirogane. Yahisa isn't the one who should be worried about the stage play. She was never a member of the drama club to begin with, it was Shinya Koguma who asked for her assistance to partake in the play during the school festival.

* * *

><p>Several days ago when the timid scriptwriter showed Yahisa his debut work, he was extremely nervous. His hand was shaking as he passed the stack of paper, and his mind was occupied with his worries and anxieties. This is the first time he wrote something for the drama club, and even though he likes to write stories and draw them, he has never shown anyone his works. Therefore, Koguma never really know where he stands in terms of his ability as a writer. His friend from the archery club will be his first reviewer.<p>

Koguma's eyes were locked onto Yahisa while she read his script. He kept on resisting his urge to ask her what she thinks for every minute that passed. He wanted her to take her time to read through his work before giving her verdict, but at the same time he also wanted to know what she thinks about each and every tiny little detail that crossed her mind. As though she knew her friend's concerns, Yahisa looked up and told the writer to relax and she assured him that she will read through his work carefully. It was only then that the fretful teenager took a deep breath and tried to calm himself.

It wasn't too long until Koguma's first reader finished examining his work. Yahisa piled the papers neatly back into a stack and placed it inside the huge envelope that Koguma passed her earlier. She smiled at her friend and gave him a pat on his shoulder.

"Koguma-kun," Yahisa paused with a sigh, "I am touched by your work!" Yahisa put her hand on her chest and she could feel the resonance of her heart beating in response to the story. The writer himself couldn't believe his own ears and he asked Yahisa to make sure he heard it right. "Yes, it's true, Koguma-kun! The ending was great! Everything in the story leads up to the grand finale! You are really talented!" Yahisa applauded. "You should give more credits to yourself."

"T-thanks…Yahisa-san." It was as though the writer himself is still in denial. He blushed and fiddled around with the envelope which Yahisa just returned him.

Yahisa, being a supportive friend as always nodded in acknowledgement to tell the writer that he should accept her compliments. "Confidence is a plant of slow growth in an aged bosom," she recited as though she was performing in a drama.

Koguma was astonished by Yahisa's reactions. He blinked several times and replayed what she just said in his mind. The way she recited the phrase, it was too picturesque. It looked like a shot from a movie. "_Perfect…_" he thought. _"She is just perfect for the role…."_ He was frozen in his own thoughts.

"Koguma-kun? Are you okay?" Yahisa took a step closer to check out Koguma. "Kogu-"

"Y-Y-Yahisa-san?" Koguma interrupted the girl who was concerned about him. He mustered all his courage and yelled, "W-w-would you like to…b-be the heroine of the story?"

Yahisa was surprised by his actions. It was a 180 degree from the Koguma who handed her his script. "U-um me?" She pointed a finger at herself to make sure that Koguma actually meant her. Koguma nodded furiously at her and told her that she _is_ the one. "But…I have no experience in acting…." She trailed off in her own confusion, unsure of how she should interpret Koguma's invitation.

"Confidence is a plant of slow growth," Koguma reminded the girl who gave him the confidence with the same words. Both of them laughed at how useful the phrase is. "Anyway, Yahisa-san, it would be great to have you in our drama for the school play during the school festival…"

"Ah, so it was for the school!" Yahisa sounded enthusiastic after hearing that it was for the school. She is interested in the play herself, but the thought of conflicting schedule made her wonder if she should really agree to it. After all, she is already involved in the student council and the archery club.

"I-it's going to be fine! I know that Yahisa-san has other activities, so I will make sure the practice won't conflict with your schedule!" Koguma promised her. Without saying, he knew how busy Yahisa's schedule is. Yahisa is the most popular student in the school next to President Shiranui.

"Well~ Let me see~" Yahisa teased. She could see from the corner of her eyes that the writer is worried about rejection. She laughed at his concerned expressions but she also reminded herself that she shouldn't take it too far. "Okay! I'll do it!" She gave him an A-OK sign.

"Oh thank you so much, Yahisa-san!" Koguma was washed over with joy. "Thank you, thank you!" It appears this is his lucky day.

* * *

><p>"Shirogane-senpai!" The desperate girl echoed his name again. Shirogane scratched his head unsure of what to do. Indeed, as one of the school's journalists, there is no way he wouldn't have heard about the school play. The problem, however, is to know the lines at the last minute. He knew what the general plot is because he had an interview with the writer, Koguma. He was given the chance to read the script once prior to the interview to get a feel of the play. Unfortunately, he couldn't remember all of the lines in detail unless he has photographic memory. Or as he would like to put it, <em>"My photographic memory ran outta films, kuhihi~"<em>

"Err…Sorry Madonna-chan, I don't know the lines," Shirogane apologized to the girl in front of him, and he scratched his head again. Usually, he would jump at the chance to be with Yahisa at all costs, but today, he felt that this isn't something he should jeopardize with. At least not with the hardworking devoted writer's debut work.

"Don't worry!" Yahisa grabbed Shirogane's hands. "Koguma-kun says he will help you out! And me too, I will help you too!"

"H-how?" Shirogane was dumbfounded by Yahisa's actions. He wondered whether Koguma or Yahisa is truly the one who is desperate at this moment.

"I'll explain it to you on the way!" Yahisa pulled at the senior classman's hand she held onto earlier and started walking towards the auditorium. "Come on!" She urged once again.

"H-hey Madonna-chan, n-not so f-faaaaaaaast~" Although this came out as a wailing from Shirogane, deep inside he was very happy about the chance to get close to his "Madonna-chan".

Sometimes, Yahisa's persistence is stronger than the conscience of the weirdo known as Shirogane.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Thanks for reading this fic! As usual, I would like to thank those who took their time to read the fic, and I am even more grateful to those who spent their time writing reviews for this. I took a break from this fic because I got a little busy in real life, so don't worry I am not taking a break because I am running out of ideas. This chapter is going to be separated into several parts again because the play is kinda long, so I apologize beforehand to readers who are looking for short-filler chapters from the wall of never ending text. :p

I am not very good at those "stay tuned for our next episode" kinda message, but in case anyone wonders, this is (probably) a Shirogane centric chapter. I'll just save the rest for when we get there. :)

**Sai**: Thank you for following this fic closely. I couldn't have asked my friends to read through the fics (because they're busy with their life as well) so your reviews mean a lot to me. I'd love to tell you who the person she met is, but if I do that, others would probably lose their interest in guessing who it might be. However, one thing that I can tell you is that, all the guys who were at the theme park have an equal chance of being the one if you put the clues together. Some might be stronger indicators than others. Trust your gut instinct, even though things may not seem the way they look the first time.

**KairaKara101**: Hi, and thank you for leaving a review! I am not used to narratives/descriptive writing, so this is a challenge for me. In fact, shoujo/romantic writing is not my forte, so thanks for letting me know that you find them cute. :)


	7. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 2

As soon as Shirogane got to the backstage, he was stripped immediately and was made to change into the costume prepared for him. Although he protested along the way, Shirogane couldn't do much about his situation. He felt like he is a bear inside a marshmallow or a marshmallow inside a bear, whichever is more ridiculous of the two. His beloved goggles had to be taken off because it would obstruct his vision and they wouldn't fit on or inside the costume.

"YIKES WH-WHAT AM I!" Shirogane literally screamed into the mirror as soon as he saw his reflection – he looked exactly like a creature coming from a fantasy world. He could still remember the characters in the play, but he didn't think the drama club would be devoted to the point of making such an elaborate costume where he couldn't tell the one he sees in front of him is an illusion.

"I-I'm so glad it fits." It was Koguma, the director and the writer of the play himself. "Thank you so much for helping us, Shirogane-san!" He bowed gratefully to the senior classman who is now transformed into the protagonist of his play. Shirogane waved his hand at the playwright to tell him that he's welcome.

"So~ How and what should I do on the stage? I don't have the lines~" Shirogane raised his concern. There wasn't much from what Yahisa told him on the way to the auditorium. She only mentioned to him that Koguma will make it so that it would be easy to follow. The rest is pretty much "improvising". He questioned Yahisa what she meant by "improvising", but she told him that this is all she was told.

"Ah, y-yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you much about this-" Koguma was interrupted by the bell that went off in the auditorium. It's time for the performance. "D-don't worry, Shirogane-san! Just be yourself and I will be helping you!" Koguma disappeared back to his position with a mic ready in his hand and cleared his throat.

"W-waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait~" Shirogane protested, but he was pushed onto the stage by several backstage crew members.

* * *

><p>"The Aurelian beast and the Moonflower." Koguma's recital voice came through the speakers in the auditorium as the curtains on the stage drew open slowly. Shirogane had his back to the audience because he was getting nervous from the lack of briefing he was given thus far. He kept on fiddling with his braids which are the only things that couldn't fit inside his costume. Fortunately, his hair color goes well with the fur on his costume, so it didn't look too awkward to the audience.<p>

"Once upon a time in a land far away, there was a beast. His name was Halcyon, but no one knew his name other than the flower which he told her his name." Koguma's voice echoed in the hall again. "His vermillion fur shone like gold under the sun, and it gave off a luster of antimony under the moon. He was charged with the duty to guard a flower known as _the Moonflower_."

After hearing the emphasis of the word "Moonflower", Shirogane quickly surveyed the floor on the stage. He found the flower that he thinks Koguma was talking about and he rushed over to it pretending to tend the flower. Of course, he had to struggle with his costume before it would give way and allow him to move swiftly. As much as he moved with difficulties on the stage, his motions are fluid to the audience. They thought he behaved exactly like a beast. Shirogane had no idea of knowing that, so he simply prayed this isn't the "improvising" and "help" that Yahisa and Koguma were talking about.

"The beast has been guarding the flower diligently for thousands of years. Spring, summer, autumn and winter. Rain or shine. Day and night." The background props were changing while Koguma read the seasons, weather and time of the day. "The beast does not know the reason why he was given this task, but he never questioned it. Not even once throughout the thousands of years he guarded the flower. Not even once."

"It was said that the Moonflower could grant anyone any wish, but it often comes with a price. Moreover, one has to make a wish at the same time it blooms. As fate would have it, this peculiar flower only blooms once every 1000 years. Once it blooms, it will stay in that condition for three days, and after that it will turn into a seed and bloom again a thousand years later."

"Throughout the years, many have came to seek the blessings of this magical flower." Several other actors and actresses of the play entered the stage one by one. "Most of them returned home empty handed because they were told by the beast that it's not the time yet." Shirogane faced the actors and actresses who came onto the stage and shook his head at them. "But there are also those who refused to take no for answer."

"A hundred and thirty-two years ago, a farmer came to seek the flower." An actor dressed in a farmer outfit approached Shirogane on the stage. "The beast told the farmer that this is not the time." Shirogane shook his head to the actor in front of him, following the orders of Koguma's words. "The farmer wouldn't listen, he rushed past the beast and held the flower in his hand." The actor did exactly as his script dictates, and Shirogane the beast was surprised by the actor's sudden reaction._ "Perhaps, there are merits to put someone who isn't completely briefed on the stage,"_ Koguma thought as he observed. "The beast made no effort of stopping the farmer, but the farmer is determined even if the beast would stop him. Then the famer made his wish."

"I wish I will never have to work on the farm again!" The actor yelled on top of his lungs to the plastic flower in his hands. The sound of steady machine humming could be heard and a gust of wind blew onto the stage. The backstage crew sprinkled flower petals from the ceiling to add effects to the scene.

"The flower seemed to hear his plea. The farmer was overcome with joy after he made his wish. He knew the beast lied to him." The narrator continued.

"I knew you have been lying to us all! You filthy beast!" The actor yelled at Shirogane and pretended to kick him.

Just when Shirogane was about to dodge the fake blows, Koguma's voice came through the speakers. "The beast stood there and he let the farmer continue his beatings." Even though the kicks weren't real, it annoyed Shirogane somewhat that he had to ignore his reflexes from dodging them. "This is because the beast knew misfortune would befall onto this man before him. The beast watched as the man landed his finishing blow and left the flower field." Shirogane was a delinquent who used to pick fights with anyone and everyone before he was reformed by his best friend, Shiranui. Dodging is like a natural instinct to him. If it weren't for the fact that he has good reflexes, he would've died or been severely injured before meeting anyone else in this school.

"It wasn't too long until the farmer's wish started to take its effect. What the beast gathered from travelers on the road was that first there was a drought, and the farmer lost all his crops. Then the empire confiscated his land because the farmer couldn't pay the taxes. At the end, the farmer disappeared and no one knew where he and his family went. This is also how some came to name the flower 'the cursed flower'." Eerie colored lights were shot onto the flower prop to accentuate the descriptions.

"Although the beast never questioned why he has to protect the flower, there are days he would wonder about what the flower thinks. The beast freed his voice and asked the flower." Koguma paused and waited for his actor to take the cue.

"U-um…" The red head inside the beast costume was trying to find the right tone of his voice. "Ahem-" He tested it again, but it didn't seem like this was the tone he was looking for. He tried a few times before getting it right, but once again, the audience below the stage thought the "grunting" and the "weird noises" coming from the beast was part of the acting.

"What are you thinking, my dear flower?" Shirogane used his serious tone, but he would rather call it his "sexy voice". He could hear several girls in the audience commented on his voice. He used it for sheep counting the last time he had a sleepover with Yahisa, Kagurazaka and the headmistress Koharu Hoshizuki. Of course, it made Yahisa blush and Kagurazaka had to interrupt and tell him that if he keeps on doing it, Yahisa will never be able to fall asleep.

"And then, something magical happened," said Koguma.

Suddenly, fogs were coming out from the sides of the stage and Shirogane was taken a back by it. The background music was playing, but he could hear the stage crew busily rearranging the props around him. Then Koguma quickly rushed in to tell him that he's been doing a good job, while Yahisa appeared next to him. She told Shirogane to relax and get ready. Once the crew was done, they turned on the fan to blow the fogs away. Flower petals rained from the ceiling and Yahisa was on the floor where the flower previously had been.

Shirogane was literally breathing heavily at the girl in front of him. He couldn't see her well because of the fog earlier, but now he could. Yahisa was dressed in a silver dress that mimicked the color reflected from the moon. Her long hazel hair was tied up in braids neatly arranged together and they were decorated by silver flowers. Shirogane was in awe by how stunning and ethereal she looked. He couldn't recognize the girl in front of him.

"W-who are you?" Shirogane didn't forget to use his "sexy voice", but he couldn't help himself from asking the girl for proofs that he wasn't dreaming. He leaned closer to the girl and she opened her eyes slowly which made Shirogane gasp. _"She's got silver eyes!"_ He thought, and he could feel his heart pounding.

The silver maiden tried to lift herself steadily from the flowers. "I…I-" But she couldn't sit herself up because the beast was blocking her way. _"Shirogane-senpai, I need to get up."_ She whispered into her co-actor's ear. It was then that the beast woke up from his dreams and realized the girl was Yahisa all along. He whispered his apologies to her and helped her up.

"You are?" He continued from where she left off. He never removed his eyes from Yahisa. People say that the moon has a mysterious type of attractiveness to those who befall their gazes on it. Perhaps this is what Shirogane is experiencing.

"I don't remember…" The girl in silver pretended to be looking around. "Who…am I?"

Several seconds passed, Yahisa was waiting patiently for Shirogane to continue his lines, but it seemed that he was "dreaming" again. _"Shirogane-senpai, you're supposed to question me where your flower went,"_ she reminded him.

"You don't remember?" The beast raised his voice as he gestured. "What happened to my flower!"

"I-I'm sorry!" The girl quickly apologized. "I really have no idea who I am!"

"The beast quickly pushed her away from where she was sitting and he tried to look for the flower that he has been guarding for his whole life." The narrator spoke again. "But he couldn't find it." Shirogane looked at Yahisa wondering if he has to push her for real. Yahisa nodded to him and got herself ready. He pushed Yahisa with the lightest touch he could and then he pretended to look for the missing flower.

"No! It's gone! It's not here!" The beast said furiously.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" The poor girl cringed. The background music switched from a mysterious tune to a more intense and alert tune.

"But the beast wouldn't give up," read Koguma. "He grabbed the amnesiac girl and he decided that he wouldn't give up until the girl tells him what happened to his flower."

Shirogane wasn't too sure about this, but Yahisa nodded to him once again.

"He shook her." Shirogane did as he was told and he made sure he wasn't hurting her.

"What happened to it!" The beast screamed into the girl. "What did you do to it!"

"The girl couldn't answer, but the beast was determined and he didn't stop his verbal assault on her. She started to breakdown and cry."

It hurts Shirogane whenever he sees her cry. He could still remember the incident they had at the theme park and the condition that Yahisa was in when she was rescued from the haunted house.

"I'm sorry!" The girl begged. "P-please, stop, it hurts! Halcyon!"

"The beast couldn't believe what he heard. No one, other than him and the flower know his name, yet this girl in front of him knew. He loosened his grip immediately."

Shirogane was glad that his character's name was all it takes for him to end this torturous moment. He knew Yahisa wasn't really crying, but he couldn't help but to feel bad for her somewhat. Yahisa tapped Shirogane again to remind him that it's his turn to speak.

"Er—" He paused. "My name. How did you know?" The beast tried to ask in a calm voice. He was still being defensive.

"Hmm?" The girl who just stopped crying was confused by his actions.

"Halcyon, that was my name," he reminded her. The beast grew slightly impatient at the girl.

"Something…inside me," she blinked. "It told me Halcyon is your name."

"The girl shook her head – it was the only thing she could do. She closed her eyes and got herself ready to curl into a ball, waiting for the beast to scream and yell at her again, but the beast's howls never came. She opened her eyes slowly and carefully to where the beast was standing. He didn't move, he looked at the girl. The girl looked at him with fear still in her eyes."

"You are not going to…?" The girl asked.

"No," replied the beast. He sounded calmer than before. "I didn't know I was…hurting _you_."

Shirogane's emphasis felt strange to Yahisa. It wasn't in the script, but she took it as a sign her weird senior classman getting used to his role. Little did she know that there were several things implied in that word. Unfortunately, Shirogane is the only one who knows what he really meant.

"The girl dusted herself and stood up, and the beast asked for her name." Without further cues, Shirogane did as the narration instructed.

"Do you…have a name? You can remember your name at least, can't you?" The beast asked, sounding unsure whether what he did was right.

"…Ar—" The girl paused to think about the next syllable. "Gence… Argence!" She smiled happily like a 3-year-old child who just completed the task of telling her name to her father.

Shirogane was frozen by her smile. It was like the sunshine in the rain that brightens the day. He stood there and did nothing, though strictly speaking, he has no idea what he should do next so it wouldn't have mattered if he just stood there or he did something else. Shirogane remembered he saw Yahisa with that smile in the past. Once when the archery club won the national championship and she posed for the picture, another when Shiranui complimented on her work for the student council, and a time before any of those happened. The memories are still vivid in Shirogane's mind.

"The beast was surprised to hear her name." Koguma's narration interrupted Shirogane's moment. "He thought she will be shaking her head and telling him that she has forgotten everything. He complimented on her name to ease the tension between them."

"It was a nice name…the name Argence."

"Thank you," said the girl. "Erm…I…I am sorry about the flower."

"I never mentioned it was a flower that I'm looking for." Words escaped Shirogane's lips before he gets any assistance from Koguma or Yahisa. This is one of the surprises that comes with Shirogane. No one knows when he is being serious or when he is being silly. It's hard to tell whether he is a genius or a good-for-nothing. "How did you know what I was looking for?" Shirogane took a step closer to Yahisa.

"I…I—" The girl had trouble answering the question again.

"I won't let you out of my sight until I find my flower and figure out who you are." The beast's voice echoed. It was cold.

The director watched the stage patiently in case Shirogane suddenly choked on his own words or the reporter's "creativity" got the best of him. "These two had no idea their encounter would cause a ripple in the tranquil sea of fate." Then Koguma motioned to Shugo Kouji, who is one of the actors in the play, to get ready for his entrance as the silver maiden and her beast companion left the stage.

Kouji belongs to the school's radio broadcasting team along with Morio Tachibana. Their broadcasts are usually supervised by Haruki-sensei, that is if Haruki actually bothered to show up. Otherwise, the broadcasting team is pretty much on their own, just like the archery club. Since Haruki was "too busy" to supervise the team during the summer due to the national archery championship, the team decided to take a break and restart again once the fall semester kicks in. Without much to do and lots of time to kill, Kouji ended up as a part time actor in the drama club.

"…You are mine. Hahahahaha." Kouji said as he came out from the shadow of the props. He was dressed like a wealthy medieval merchant but with a pair of glasses. His attire was dyed in blue to match his hair color. "My family has been waiting for this time all along! And now the glory shall be ours!"

The curtain drew as soon as Kouji's lines were finished. Everyone in the backstage was busily readying themselves for the next scene.

* * *

><p>"H-how did I do, Madonna-chan?" Shirogane asked nervously after he took off the head portion of his costume. He wasn't nervous, but he was just pretending to be so that Yahisa would compliment and praise him.<p>

"It was great, Shirogane-senpai!" Yahisa fell into his trap unknowingly. She thought the stand-in actor was really nervous about his performance. "Your ad-libs were wonderful!" She grabbed his hands which are now covered by the paw-like costume to tell him how well he did.

"Oh~ Madonna-chan~ Thank you~" Shirogane was happy that he got what he wanted from her and some "extra indirect contact".

"Marvelous!" Koguma exclaimed. "You're doing great, Shirogane-san! I am really glad we found you."

Shirogane turned around to see the director of the play so overwhelmed with happiness. "So…what's up next?" If he remembered it right, the character that Kouji is playing should be scheming for the dismay of the beast so he could get the girl. He hoped that Koguma didn't change the script too much when it was finalized.

"The beast will try to save the girl after she has been taken away by Azurlean," replied Koguma. "Oh right, yes, Azurlean is Kouji's character." He reminded Shirogane the name of the character who just made an appearance.

"What is the direction I should take?" Shirogane asked. He knew time is running out before the setup on the stage is finished, he must take this moment to gather as much information as he could.

"Just act like you are very protective of Argence. Like you will do anything to help her and protect her because she is the only clue to the Moonflower." The playwright explained. "But at the same time, you have to sound like you want to place a distance between her, because _her existence is your responsibility_."

The color on Shirogane's face changed from red to ash. He was getting very hot from the mask he had to wear for the play, but now he is stone cold.

"Shirogane-san? Is something that matters?" Koguma asked with concern. Yahisa also looked at Shirogane with worry written on her face.

"Ahahaha~ Not at all~ I was just getting myself ready for the next scene~" Shirogane lied. He knew the two wouldn't take him seriously, so it wouldn't have mattered whether he lied or not. Besides it's not like the audience will see his face underneath the mask. "Hahahaha." He laughed their concerns away. Koguma and Yahisa looked at each other and smiled bitterly. They prayed that nothing will go wrong in the play and hoped that Shirogane's "reliability" would remain consistent.

"Hey everyone, let's get ready-" A stage crew notified everyone that the stage is set. "In 5, 4-" Then she stopped counting with her voice and motioned with her hands and fingers: three, two, one.

Shirogane put on his mask, but Koguma's words echoed in Shirogane's ears again. It was as though the act of putting on the mask created a perfect isolation from the reality that he is interacting with, and the other reality that he has inside his head. He hasn't forgotten what he did to Yahisa. "_In due time_," he convinced himself. "_In due time. And when that happens, I hope-_" Then he remembered his best friend, Shiranui, the only one friend that Shirogane can't seem to be able to get rid of no matter what he does.

"I am _no one_, I am the Aurelian beast."

Shirogane laughed at himself. Perhaps it was the mask Shirogane was made to wear, but if people were close enough, they could hear the weeping sorrows of the beast.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Thanks for reading this! It took me some time to finalize what I really want. I was 5 pages in and I didn't like how the story went, so I deleted and reworked the whole thing from scratch. Once again, I wasn't satisfied with how it turns out, so this is the third time I've rewritten this part of the chapter.

As usual, this chapter far from finish despite its length. Sidekicks in the series may make an appearance. In case the readers have no idea who Kouji and Tachibana are, they are the characters who used to be in charge of the radio show on HB's official site. If anyone follows the anime, they've made an appearance in there as well.

**KairaKara101**: Thank you and you are welcome. I am filled with joy to know that there are more people who like Shiranui :) It's a great encouragement for me to know that you find this story beautiful!


	8. Intermission: The Road Not Taken

The captain of the archery club just finished his supervision duty and left the rest of the work to his vice captain Ryuunosuke Miyaji. He made his way carefully in the darkness and climbed the stairs to the second level of the auditorium. The balcony was under renovation recently and therefore closed to the public, but the third year knew the work on the balcony has been completed. He knew this when he watched Koguma and Yahisa rehearsed several weeks ago. He didn't want to interrupt them or make them feel nervous, so whenever he wanted to watch them, he will sneak into the auditorium, pass the thick renovation tapes and place himself quietly in one of the seats on the balcony.

"Kazuki? What a coincidence."

It was no coincidence at all. The president of the student council is a regular visitor to the drama club's rehearsal as well. Kanakubo meets his friend often in the balcony and they would discuss their thoughts and criticize things which the drama club could improve in their next rehearsal. Of course, they didn't tell Koguma or Yahisa directly, but sometimes the seniors would ask the other two how their rehearsal was and offer advice when the discussion touched upon the topic.

"How long have you been here?" Kanakubo asked, but he knew the answer already. Even though his friend never said it himself, he knew how important Yahisa is to Shiranui.

Shiranui didn't look at him, he simply replied with "I dunno" while he placed his chin on the railing to get a closer look of the people on the stage.

"Aozora-kun is going to be furious." There was a hint of mischievous in Kanakubo's voice, but Shiranui replied with a scoff and a nonchalant shrug. The president is probably used to his vice president's "special treatment".

"Why did you choose to sit here, Kazuki?" Kanakubo couldn't understand why the president of the student council had to do what he did. All Shiranui needed to do was to ask and a seat will be made available to him – he is the president of the student council after all.

"'By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower.'" Shiranui recited a quote said by Tagore. He grinned at his friend as though he's saying, "_you'll understand, right?_"

Kanakubo sighed, he understood. He replied with a quote from Matisse. "'There are always flowers for those who want to see them."' They laughed together quietly.

"I have no idea you would be so refined as to understand the delicacy of flowers." Kanakubo teased his friend as usual. He remembered how Shiranui would make a disgusted face when he told him that he is reading poetries. However, not too soon afterwards, Shiranui will pick up a copy of what Kanakubo reads from the library. He will look through it no matter how "different" it is from the usual genre he reads. This is Shiranui's way of understanding and getting to know his friend.

"Who knows," Shiranui waved his hand nonchalantly. "Maybe I got it from you. We've been friends for quite some time."

Kanakubo nodded. Shiranui was telling the truth. He is the only person who will scold Shiranui whenever he is being too selfish and conceited. In return, Shiranui's carefree and go-get-em attitude affected him.

Before Kanakubo met Shiranui, he was weak minded. He knew what he wants, but he often stops himself midway, he was stopped by nothing other than his own anxiety. Eventually, he learned to turn his back on things he cared about as though he had already given up on them before he tried. But he is different now. It was all thanks to his happy-go-lucky friend.

"You are a go-getter, Kazuki," Kanakubo began. "I thought you would be more straightforward."

"Homare, this is different." Shiranui replied hesitantly. He knew Kanakubo could tell his lies from truth apart. "Well, maybe not…I guess?" He laughed to cover up the nervousness he felt despite Kanakubo did nothing but to pay attention to the performance on the stage.

"Is it, Kazuki?" Kanakubo asked. "Is it?"

Shiranui didn't answer. He understood what his friend was doing. It was a hypothetical statement which his friend wants him to reflect upon. What he answers matters not to Kanakubo because he isn't Shiranui himself. Kanakubo isn't living the life of Shiranui, Shiranui is the one living his life. Kanakubo is the only person who could make him realize the gravity and severity of his choices. This is why he could lie to anyone but never Kanakubo.

The air of silence surrounded the two as they watched the stage. After the fog was gone, a girl in silver appeared on the stage. Both Shiranui and Kanakubo's eyes were fascinated by the alluring silver. They never had the chance to see Yahisa in her costume because she never wears it during the rehearsals. This is a surprise for them indeed.

"She is beautiful."

"Did you say something, Homare?" Shiranui asked but Kanakubo shook his head. The grey hair student was very sure he heard a voice and he looked around. He turned around to where the exit is, but there is no one there. When he was about to conclude he was hearing things, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"…Right behind you."

It was Kagurazaka. He got out of his seat from the row behind Shiranui and sat next to Kanakubo. The blue hair student smiled at him and he nodded in response.

"Whoa Shiki!" Shiranui was surprised, and then he reminded himself that he shouldn't draw attention with the volume of his voice. "What the heck are you doing here?"

Kagurazaka looked at the president of the student council and blinked. He wondered if his own existence is too easily forgotten or if Shiranui is too easily surprised. "I was here before you." He pointed to where he was "resting" earlier to remind his senior classman. "You just…didn't seem to notice."

"Sheesh Shiki, you gotta stop doing that." Kanakubo chuckled as Shiranui sighed. Kagurazaka replied with _"Okay…I'll try"_ obediently.

"Kazuki," Kanakubo brushed his hand through his hair. "You knew the actor is going to be sick, didn't you?" His eyes didn't meet Shiranui's but they landed on a booklet which is placed on the seat next to Shiranui. It was the script of the play they are watching right now.

* * *

><p>When the president of the student council got a copy of the script, he had to read through it to make sure it would be appropriate for the school festival. Shiranui preferred facts over fiction, so he wasn't interested in reading. He tried to get Aozora and Amaha to read it, but they both turned him down "conveniently". The former took out his "trustworthy companion" – the blackboard, and Shiranui immediately knew the vice president meant serious business. As for the latter, he asked for an increased budget allowance for his inventions to which Shiranui agreed without much choice, but of course Aozora found out and familiarized them his "trustworthy companion" again.<p>

Nothing was done at the end of the day and the student council room had two people down on the floor. Aozora shook his head at the miserable scene before him and put the script neatly on the president's desk before he hauled Amaha's body out of the room gracefully. Shiranui opened one of his eyes to survey his surrounding. As soon as he saw the door closing behind the two, he stood up quietly and reached for the plugs in his ears.

"Phew!" Shiranui threw the plugs onto his table. "_I owe you, Hayato_." He thanked him in his head, even though it felt ironic. He could remember the day when Aozora handed him the ear plugs because the pink hair devil wanted the president to focus on his work without any interruption from the explosions coming out of Amaha's lab. Shiranui couldn't help but to be impressed by the choice of ear plugs Aozora has chosen for him. It worked fabulously. He decided that he will keep them and use them in the future.

He looked at the vermillion hue casted off the window panels and breathed deeply. The setting sun reminded him of the fleeting seasons. Summer wasn't too long ago, but the footsteps of autumn were approaching. Winter would follow, and then spring. There was a tune of reminisce to the word "spring" as he repeated it on the tip of his tongue. Very soon he would leave Seigetsu, the place he called home for the last three years. He would part with his friends, teachers and his past. But what would remain of the work he has done? Would his efforts be forgotten just like writings on the sand disappear as the tides brushed gently ashore?

"How silly of me." Shiranui put on his glasses and approached the desk filled with the work to be finished for the day. There will always be a part of him that keeps him in check. Sometimes he wondered it had anything to do with Kanakubo, because he would be the one to tell the president to straighten up when the president is too full of himself.

Shiranui sighed as he sat on the president's chair. He looked at the pile of papers and realized he underestimated the amount earlier. "Well, they won't just vanish into thin air by themselves. It's just me and a whole bunch of you." He joked, but there was no one to laugh with him in the empty room. He eyed the paper stacks behind the lenses of his glasses. "It's gonna be a long day."

After sifting through his work for several hours, Shiranui completed his duty at the student council. He was about to pack up his things and head back to his dorm when his hand brushed across the script which Aozora placed on his desk.

It was like a scene from a fantasy story. He felt a sense of familiarity when the information came through his fingertips. It was his power, Hoshiyomi. It could come to him anytime anywhere, sometimes he could see the things he wants, and sometimes the things he doesn't. He learned to control his own powers throughout the years he spent in Seigetsu, but there are times when the oracles come through him whether he wants it or not. "_Maybe it's meant to be_" is what he often tells himself. He believes that seeing the future of things that he never intended to is a part of the responsibility that comes with his power. He believes that it must mean something for him or the people around him. It was the least he could do to excuse himself whenever he sees something unpleasant. But what if he sees something that presents itself as an opportunity for him?

He saw fragments of what appeared to be scenes from the play. "_Now this is helpful_." Shiranui grinned at how convenient his power is. If only it could come whenever he pleases, he wouldn't have to struggle with the tedious paperwork everyday. He saw Yahisa in the play and she is speaking to a character that appears to be a beast, and he was impressed by the effort of the drama club on the props. As his Hoshiyomi vision went further he sees more. He saw that Yahisa would be looking for a replacement actor before the actual performance and he would be the first one she comes to ask for help. Knowing this got him intrigued, Shiranui smiled at the thought. He retreated back to his chair and turned the script to its first page.

"The Aurelian beast and the Moonflower."

The title was printed neatly on the cover. Its name reminded him of the classic fairytale "Beauty and the Beast" which was read to him by his mother when she was still alive. Despite Shiranui's protests, many of times she would try to make excuses so that she could read it to him. Whenever he asked her why, she would tell him that the essence of the story is the power of understanding. "_If we could understand each other, we will have the strength to protect the ones who are dear to us._" That's what she used to say. Shiranui couldn't comprehend what his mother meant back then, not that he completely understands it today either.

Shiranui flipped the pages faster as he read. He couldn't believe that he is actually enjoying the story. As he was about to turn the pages to read the last chapter, another set of vision appeared before him. It was a vision where Yahisa seems to be shocked by what she heard. Then she lies unconsciously on the floor with the actor in the beast costume trying to wake her up without avail. Eventually, the actor in the beast costume takes off his head piece and he reveals himself as Shiranui.

The anxious reader panicked. He read through the script quickly to see if this part was mentioned anywhere at all, but he couldn't find it. Perhaps it was never in the script to begin with. His fists banged on the table and his heart started to race. He stood as a result of his anger and cursed the extent of the Hoshiyomi abilities.

The way Hoshiyomi works is like watching a silent movie. One could see what happens, but he could never hear the voices or the words spoken. He could feel the emotions experienced by the people involved in the vision, but this isn't guaranteed all the time even to people as powerful as Kagurazaka.

Without words, Shiranui couldn't grasp the context. How did it happen? Why did it happen? What triggered it? It must be something he said, but what could he possibly say to her? This is the reason why he always preferred facts. He knew very well that there is only one truth, despite the possibility of having many facts out there. As long as he could gather the facts, he could deduce and arrive at where the answer is.

Frustrated, Shiranui took off his glasses and rubbed the spot where his glasses rested. He laughed at himself miserably because he couldn't understand a thing other than what he just saw. The unfortunate barrier between humans is words. On one hand, words could facilitate thoughts and feelings; but on the other, they could be fabricated and used as a subterfuge. What he thought was an opportunity at first could become a double edged sword in the future he just saw.

The tired president took a deep breath once again and closed the script. At least he knew what would've happened if he were to agree with Yahisa's plea on that day. He cleaned up his desk and saw the approval sheet that was placed underneath the script. He could've denied the play for the school festival, but with what cause? That he saw Yahisa being unconscious under some unknown circumstances which he couldn't be sure of? It would sound like a pathetic and unreasonable excuse to anyone, even the ones who knew his power. "_There is still time_." Shiranui comforted himself as he signed he sheet. "_If I read the script some more, I might know what happened_." He took the script with him and left the sheet he just signed on Aozora's desk. It was probably Shiranui's way to admit defeat without giving up.

Words are convenient indeed.

* * *

><p>"What are you talking about?" Shiranui replied Kanakubo's question with a question.<p>

"You knew every word by heart, didn't you?" Kanakubo smiled. He knew he isn't too far from the truth for each question he asked Shiranui that came back with a question. Although he wasn't interested in whether his own assumptions are correct, he just wanted to hear what Shiranui has to say.

"Looks like Oushiro is having fun down there." Shiranui avoided what Kanakubo just asked. It was meaningless. He knew his friend's intention. "I could so recognize his voice, heh. He's gonna get it from me if he pulls any weird tricks on Tsukiko." The protective father cracked his knuckles as he spoke.

"Really?" Kagurazaka asked, but silence was the only answer to his question. All Kagurazaka knew is that the choice which Shiranui made today will have an impact on the not too distant future – the future which only the stars know.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Thanks for reading! Yes, that is the only thing I could say every time I write the author's note. :p

Yes, this chapter is still Shirogane-centric. I just figured that it would be more interesting to shift to other characters who might have been a "better" prospect than Shirogane on the stage.

I always agonize over the length of the chapters because of the descriptions. I would argue with myself that there are some things better to be unsaid, but then I would worry about the decision I've made because I am the author and I know things which the readers don't. Essentially, this bias drives me to write with greater detail than I originally planned. Of course, there are things which I purposely left without much description for the readers to figure out in future chapters. So I hope you guys will find it entertaining and interesting. :)

**Sai**: Thank you and you don't have to apologize. I'm just happy to know that you are still reading the story despite my 2 week hiatus!

**KairaKara101**: Thanks! Maybe it is who you think it is, haha. Or maybe-well, I better keep it to myself before I have everyone spoiled. Keep guessing! :p


	9. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 3

The play progressed to the fourth scene and Shirogane didn't make any huge mistakes thus far. He was putting in more effort to learn his role. One thing, however, is still troubling his mind. He realized the dialogues are posing a problem for him. It wasn't because he didn't get to learn any of the lines. The reason was much simpler than that.

"Halcyon," asked Argence, "what do you think if this is all a dream?" The beast and the maiden were sitting in the flower field under the starry sky. The maiden had her hand busily working on a flower band.

"_A dream_? _It'd be great if it were._" Shirogane cursed. He knew that if this is all a dream, words wouldn't struck him like a thunder on a lightning rod every now and then. Perhaps if the heroine of the play isn't Yahisa, heck, even if the heroine was casted as a guy, he'd be fine with it as long as he doesn't have to kiss him. He didn't realize how great of damage this seemingly innocent play could do. He coursed through a series of emotions earlier, and he knew he will probably come across more later, even the ones that he wouldn't want to confront. He couldn't figure out why this is happening to him. Why now? Why this moment? Why her?

"Hmph." The beast said plainly without any hint of emotions in his voice, but he was clearly annoyed. He answered just so she would stop pestering him.

This wasn't just the beast's wish. It was Shirogane's as well. He knew it was an ill omen when he glanced through the script for the interview, but he laughed it away and didn't pay too much attention to it. After all, what can a story or a stage play do to him? It's just fiction, no more, no less. Unfortunately, Shirogane was wrong. This would be the second mistake he made which he will regret later.

"Argence laughed at Halcyon, and Halcyon replied with more grunts." Koguma didn't wait for Shirogane to react and he simply went on with his narration. "Never did Argence stop her work on the flower band she's making."

"Even if this is just a dream," Argence paused, "I would be glad that I've met you." She took a red flower nearby and added it to the band she has been making. "Of course, I might not be able to remember who you are or who I am or the fact that we've actually met one another. But right now—" Argence turned to look at Halcyon, her eyes filled with gentleness and serenity. "I am very glad that I've met you."

"Once upon a time, there was a boy—" Shirogane opened his mouth as he followed Yahisa's line immediately.

"S-Shirogane-senpai?" Yahisa whispered to him quietly and looked at Shirogane with a puzzled face. "Sh-"

"He never got any friends." Shirogane interrupted her before she could finish. "He tried to make friends, but he will be forgotten when the sun rises again."

Koguma watched. He obviously caught Yahisa's eyes that were pleading for his assistance, but there was nothing he could do. He nodded back to tell her to improvise and watch for any signs to turn the situation around.

"Day after day, he tried and tried. Nothing works for him, and day after day his friends forget about him when the sun rises again. Then one day, something magical happened." Shirogane touched Yahisa's face and let his paw slid down to her shoulder. "A girl whom he thought has forgotten came back with a red flower in her hand. She said, 'I brought this for you because it reminds me of you!' The girl couldn't remember the boy's name, and the boy laughed at the girl's attempt. Nonetheless, he was very glad he made a friend on that day. His very first friend."

The whole auditorium was in silence waiting for Shirogane to continue on with his story, and Koguma was trying to anticipate what Shirogane will do next.

"Argence." Shirogane brought his paw to where Yahisa's hand held onto a red flower which she was working on. "This is the flower." He patted on her hand softly.

Yahisa was dumbfounded. She felt like she was in a dream when Shirogane spoke. She couldn't believe it herself. It was as though she let her mind travel to where his voice had taken her. It felt nostalgic, just like one of those days where she will find tear stains on her pillow and a bunch of questions that'll never have an answer.

"T-this flower?" The dreamy girl asked following the chain of events. Then she looked at the red flower she had in her hands. She hadn't forgotten her lines, but she didn't know how or where to begin either. "What is the name of this flower?"

"Anemone." Halcyon told the girl. "Anemone," he repeated to her once again. "It's a flower without any scent."

"A flower with no scent." Yahisa had no clue what to say, she could only parrot what Shirogane told her and improvise a little bit here and there when there the chance comes along.

"But this is what is special about this flower." Shirogane took the flower out of Yahisa's hands and stood under the spot where the light is a strong contrast to the night scene on the stage. "Here, look." He held the flower towards the light. The crimson flower and his costume shone in different hues of red. Although not everyone in the audience could see the flower reflecting the most vibrant color of the spectrum, those who could see it were mesmerized.

"_Was the flower the one that compliments the beast or was the beast the one who compliments the flower?_" Yahisa wondered to herself. She couldn't stop looking. Those colours were like gemstones which drew away her attention.

"You asked earlier what I think if this is a dream." He paused, waiting for her to wake up and absorb his words.

"Flowers such as this-"

And then it was as though Shirogane's character took a 180 degree turn.

"They will never appear in dreams! Their color reflects the entity of their existence! All you have been saying is nonsense! What I'm living now is real, this flower is real, everything except—!"

His voice was fierce and coarse. It pierced through the tranquility of the auditorium and surprised everyone. No one could speak after that, not even Shirogane himself. He couldn't believe he would be speaking like that. In fact, he couldn't believe he is still capable of that. Moreover, he couldn't understand the anger he felt. Why now? Why here? Why? He thought he would've lost all those feelings when he met Shiranui, but the reality proved him otherwise.

Somewhere deep within him, he was very glad this piece of emotion escaped from the place where he kept it locked in a bottomless pit. It was as though a prisoner with immortality who is sentenced to life imprisonment has escaped his confinement of eternity. He felt the euphoria of release. It was good. No, it was great. He wanted to say this for a long time, but he was never given the chance. Actually, the chance has always been there, he just never takes it when it comes within his reach. He never wanted to hurt anyone.

As he gradually came back to the reality on the stage after basking in his ecstasy, Shirogane saw a girl petrified in front of her. He couldn't tell whether her expression is natural or artificial as a result of the play. Whichever it was, guilt managed to sweep all over him. He did it. He was the one who did this to her. Yahisa's expression tore Shirogane's heart apart.

"I'm sorry." Shirogane whispered an apology to Yahisa and left the stage as he was instructed earlier. The audience applauded while Shirogane left the stage. They were impressed by the emotion in his acting. Several staff including Koguma came up to Shirogane to compliment him as well, but he avoided eye contact with them all. He didn't want anyone to know how he is feeling right now.

The auditorium was dead in silence again, but Koguma quickly picked up from where Shirogane finished. "Argence realized what she did was inconsiderate. Perhaps it would be better if she placed some distance between herself and the beast. She stood from where she sat and decided to take a walk to ease the tension between them. She got to a nearby stream and looked at her reflection in the water."

"Who am I? What am I?" Argence asked. "Why can't I remember who I am?" Then she touched her reflection as though she was brushing the tears away from the corner of her eye. "If I could remember who I am, I wouldn't have to cause Halcyon so much trouble."

"I know who you are."

Argence turned around to where the voice came from. A young man in blue took a bow.

"Y-you know who I am?" Argence couldn't believe the man in front of her held all the answers to her questions.

"Azurlean." The man extended his right hand towards her, but Argence looked at the man and his hand as she withdrew her distance from him. She thought he would be shaking her like Halcyon did. "This is what you do," Azurlean smiled at her. He took her hand and placed his lips on it gently.

"I thought you were going to—" Argence was interrupted before she could finish.

"Argence, I am different," said Azurlean proudly. "For starters, I know who you are. I know _what_ you are." Argence was surprised that this man could utter her name without a proper introduction. She was waiting for him to tell her everything and anything about her identity, but Azurlean only smiled at her without saying anything.

"Azurlean?" Argence tilted her head.

"Yes, Argence?" The strange man answered playfully.

"Could you please tell me who I am?" The silver maiden asked innocently.

"Why of course! I just love it when you ask!" Azurlean was enthusiastic. "Come with me, and I will tell you all about it." He leaned closer to her and lifted her chin with his index finger. "Each and every little thing."

"But I," Argence hesitated, "I promised Halcyon. I don't know if I should—"

"If you know who you are, you will be able to save him." Azurlean's voice sounded like silk. It was alluring and tempting, but when he mentioned the beast, there was a tone of disgust.

"Halcyon?" Argence started to get worry. "Is he in danger?" She grabbed Azurlean's arms unconsciously. "Is he?"

"Come with me," he invited her again without explaining further.

Argence struggled, but at the end she whispered, "Halcyon, forgive me."

The devil smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Hi everyone, thanks for reading and I apologize for the lack of updates. Real life got really busy so I didn't get to write much. So thank you once again to those of you who are still reading this and anticipating the chapters to come! :) I can't guarantee that the next chapter will come in a steady pace but I will try my best.

Shirogane is hard to grasp. Writing him is like dancing on thin ice all the time. :p

**The Pisces**: Hi and thank you! I think I was just lucky that I haven't make them ooc thus far. Though I think towards the end of this whole story, some characters may be regarded as OOC. XD

**KairaKara101**: Thanks, I like Shiranui too! Yes I did, I played the Winter game and watched several episodes of the anime. My friend **merope** was kind enough to fill me in with the stuff that happened in Shirogane's route from the PSP game. So I am very much in debt to her for all the character accuracy.

**Sai**: Thanks! I'm glad to know they're working! I just wish I could get to the core of the story soon and stop making everyone guess what's up. XD (I know it has been a pain to some people haha.)

**Passerby**: Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! Thank you so much for letting me know that chapter 1 was stiff to you, and I'm even more happier to know that I've corrected myself from that. Yes, Kagurazaka didn't make an appearance in the games, so hopefully he will make an appearance in the After games. I'm having my fingers crossed so that I'm not making him OOC contrary to the anime and what he should be. :p And don't apologize! I am very very happy that you spotted the typos/grammatical errors. It's alright even if you can't remember them! As for your question, yes. It's supposed to be 4, but he was hospitalized for 80% during one of the years, which makes it 3 (somewhat). So I guess at the end it's a matter of whether the time during his hospitalization is considered. :)


	10. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 4

Koguma felt relieved that it'd be awhile until Shirogane reappears on the stage again. His job as the narrator would be easier for the time being. After all, he didn't have to dedicate his full attention to what's happening on the stage. However, he did wonder what had happened earlier with Shirogane. It wasn't like him to ignore others – it's usually the other way around. Koguma took a quick glance at the red head in a beast costume and realized that the beast was whistling to himself. It seemed as though nothing has happened and Shirogane's back to his old self. But who is Shirogane? What is he? Koguma couldn't answer those questions that surfaced in his mind.

* * *

><p>The first year student shifted around in his chair looking very nervous. This would be the first time he is being interviewed. Koguma couldn't stop himself from looking around despite the fact that he was already familiarized with the surrounding – he is currently sitting in the drama club. The walls were plastered by random notices and memos to inform the club members when their next rehearsals are, and then several versions of the posters drawn for the school play. Koguma set his eyes on the version which he liked the most. He couldn't understand why he liked it more than the others, maybe the fact that it stands out very well amidst the sea of papers. And whenever he looked at it, it gave him an unexplainable feeling of calmness.<p>

"Anyone here~?" A voice startled Koguma from the hallway. The door slid open and a pair of eyes peeked inside to ascertain whether anyone is inside. "Sorry~" The student looked at his watch and realized he showed up 20 minutes late. It was Shirogane and he would be the one interviewing Koguma. "I got lost and forgot about the time~" Shirogane made an excuse for himself as he apologized, even though it was a lie. He was hanging out with Shiranui at the student council while he conveniently harassed Yahisa with his usual "scoop on Madonna-chan". It wasn't until Aozora decided that having Shirogane present would impede the work progress of the student council that made him unleashed his trustworthy blackboard – it will always guarantee a success.

"S-shirogane-san," Koguma greeted the reporter meekly. Although he knew Shirogane was late, he was glad that he is. At least it gave him the time to get himself ready somewhat.

"Let's get started, shall we~?" Shirogane gave Koguma his trademark smile which made the playwright nervous again. He sat down on the chair across from Koguma swiftly and laid out his writing utensils.

"S-sure," Koguma stuttered, "thank you for taking the time to interview me, Shirogane-san." He wasn't sure what to expect. His eyes were fishing around for a target to land on so he wouldn't have to look directly into Shirogane's face.

"Relax, I'm not gonna bite~" Shirogane grinned at the first year student with his teeth showing. It didn't seem convincing at all, but that's how it will be for the time being. Koguma nodded at his words hesitantly.

"So~ Koguma-kun," Shirogane got ready for his first question. He could see that even by saying Koguma's name increased the poor boy's tension. "How long have you been writing for the drama club?"

"Not too long." Koguma's reply was rigid and as soon as he realized that, he added, "I've been writing and drawing for a long time, but I have never written anything for the drama club. This is the first time." He took a deep breath. If there is a nervous meter, Koguma would be off the charts.

"I see~ I see~" Shirogane scribbled into his notebook. "Then what made you decided to write for the drama club?"

"I-er…" Koguma was desperately trying to recall the reason why, but his anxiety got the best of him. "Um…erh…"

"Why don't I rephrase it for you?" The reporter offered. It's not the first time when his interviewee succumbed to the pressure of being in an interview. "Why did you join the drama club as a scriptwriter?"

Koguma felt more at ease. When he heard Shirogane's new question, he kept on telling himself that this is something he could answer. "I love writing," he began, "ever since I was a child. I've always adored the world of fantasies." There was an urge in him that propelled him to say more. "I'm not the strongest kid on the block, or the brightest and the most brilliant. I am weak and shy in the real world, but in the world of fantasies, I can decide things for myself." Koguma stopped to wonder if he should end it there, but Shirogane motioned to tell him to go on. "I can tell people how I feel and what I think through my stories. I want to share them with everyone."

"That's very nice of you, Koguma-kun~" Shirogane was satisfied with Koguma's words and he nodded approvingly. Koguma thanked Shirogane. "Could you tell us a little bit about the play?"

"Of course!" Koguma was really excited that he got to talk about his passion for writing earlier. It was one of those rare occasions which he gets to say things directly without speaking through his characters. "It's about a beast named Halcyon who looks after the legendary moonflower which could grant people's wish. One day a mysterious event happened, the moonflower was gone and a girl named Argence appeared. Then a man called Azurlean appeared and took Argence with him, to which Halcyon must save her because she is the key to the moonflower." Koguma wished to say more, but he stopped himself from spoiling his potential audience who may be reading this interview.

"Hmm, I see I see~" Shirogane kept on writing in his notebook. "Could you tell us about the characters? Starting from the beast."

"Ah, Halcyon." Koguma paused for a moment to organize the things he would be saying. "He is quite stubborn and straightforward. He was charged as the guardian of the moonflower, so he had to blunt and tough, that's how his character may seem to be stubborn and straightforward at the same time."

"So he's a big softie inside, huh~?" Shirogane joked. He read the script so he knew what would happen to Halcyon.

"Shirogane-san is that what he seems to you?" It was a hypothetical question from Koguma, so he didn't wait for Shirogane to answer before he continued. "Well, more or less. Though I think rather than calling him a softie, he's more like a _coward_."

"A coward? Do tell us more~!" Shirogane couldn't hide his interest with Koguma's answer. If he takes off his goggles, Koguma could probably see the sparkles in his eyes.

"Some people are weak inherently, you know, people who are just like me. Within a group of weak people, some decided to gather the courage to face their weakness eventually. These people are the ones who could become the strong ones. However, there are also those who think that they could conquer their weakness if they turn their weakness into something else…something negative like fear and use it on others. For example, Aozora-san often uses his blackboard, right? But have you ever considered why Aozora-san is doing this?"

"That's because Kazuki and Edison-kun aren't working~" Shirogane replied immediately.

"Is that really all there is to it? Is it possible that this is the only way he knows how to confront people without actually confronting them at all?"

Shirogane was speechless. He looked at Koguma blankly. It didn't matter if what Koguma just said is true or not. It was a perspective that Shirogane has never thought about before. He was completely impressed by Koguma's observation on people.

"Of course, I am not saying Aozora-san is a coward, this is all just a conjecture – a baseless theory if you will." Koguma laughed in defense, but the reporter couldn't tell whether he truly meant it or not. "And please don't write that into the interview, Shirogane-san."

Shirogane replied with 'yeah yeah' because he wanted to keep Koguma talking. "In other words, Halcyon is a coward because he is running away from his weakness which he turned into something in another form?"

"Precisely." Koguma replied and landed his eyes on his favourite poster. "Have you heard of the Milgram experiment?" Shirogane shrugged and Koguma continued. "It was study to see whether people would surrender their obedience and carry out orders from authorities which violates their sense of morality. To summarize, the study found that most people could become a part of the destructive process, even though they may not carry any hostile intent to begin with. Despite knowing blatantly clear that what they do is wrong, many participants of the study carried on with what they _have to_—no, what they were _told to_ do."

"Oh~" The reporter couldn't hide his interest. He wished that he was a better student.

"Everyone has a _voice_ in their head. Some called the voice their conscience, some called it instinct, and some called it their evil adversary. Whichever it may be, this voice is the real authority behind our actions. At least, that's what I think." Koguma looked a bit embarrassed because he rarely had the chance to explain his characters directly to anyone. "The reason why most people could carry on with the experiment is because they were convinced by their voice that it was okay. When people shifted their responsibility and their cause to something-anything, they are free of convictions and allegations from others. '_It wasn't my fault. I had to because I was told to._'"

The sound of the pen dropped by the reporter interrupted Koguma. The latter checked to make sure he didn't sound too boring, but after knowing that the reporter is still nodding at his words, he kept going. "And Halcyon is just like that, which is why he is a _coward_. But the reality is, not a lot of people have the resources or the power to go against authorities, lest their own voice."

"That's quite interesting so far, Koguma-kun~! What about Argence?" The reporter followed with another question immediately.

"She is what you think she is."

"Oh come on, Koguma-kun~" Shirogane protested. He thought Koguma would provide him with another interesting observation.

"It's true. That is exactly how I would like my audience see her." Koguma smiled bitterly at Shirogane. "She is the key to the story and even if you ask me, what I can tell you is only one of the many interpretations of her. The story itself is one of the many interpretations of her. You understand what I mean, don't you?"

"Hmm…well, now that you mentioned it. Yeah, it kinda does~" The reporter was somewhat convinced. He would love to pester the scriptwriter for more information, but he decided to leave it at that. He knew that at least the audience would be intrigued to watch the play if the playwright himself makes ambiguous statements throughout the interview. "Annnnnnd Azurlean~?"

"I think he is a good guy." Koguma replied as a matter of factly.

"Eh~?" Shirogane lost track of the times he got thrown off by Koguma's replies. "What do you mean? He's the one who caused all the troubles~!"

"He is, that I won't deny," Koguma nodded. "But the thing is, would not knowing the truth necessarily be good in the long run? What do you think, Shirogane-san?"

Shirogane was surprised by the question. He frowned for a split second. An alarm inside his head warned him that he should avoid this question at all costs. This was supposed to be an interview, he should be the one asking questions. Somehow it gradually turned into a conversation, and now he's on the receiving end.

"I don't know~ Please enlighten me~ Oh great Koguma-sensei~" Shirogane decided to play dumb to avoid being put on the spot.

"It is a tough question, so it's okay not to know the answer. There isn't a right answer to begin with, at least I don't think there is. After all, there are many different types of happiness, just as there are many different types of love. They are all subjective. Azurlean showed Halcyon the door, so I think he's a good guy for doing that."

Shirogane was once again impressed by Koguma's words. He wondered if what Koguma said about being weak was just a façade, because there is no way a person who knows and contemplates as much as Koguma could be weak. Perhaps weakness is subjective to Koguma, just like happiness and love.

Although Koguma's speech changed from stutter to normal, the reporter noticed that the writer's eye often landed upon a posted on the wall.

"Koguma-kun, you really like that poster, don't you~? Kuhihi~"

"U-um, y-yes." Koguma's stutter returned. He shifted in his chair uncontrollably and his eyes wandered furiously trying to find a place to land. "Ah!"

"What is it, Koguma-kun~?" Shirogane put down his pen and his notebook as he leaned towards the first year.

"I-it was nothing." Koguma blushed. "N-nothing."

"Really~?" Shirogane leaned closer. "Really really~?"

"I-I just," the boy stammered, "I just realized that Shirogane-san's hair color is similar to the color on the poster."

Shirogane looked at Koguma but he didn't say anything.

"Y-you see, that poster," Koguma pointed, "it makes me feel calm whenever I look at it. I didn't, I couldn't understand why until I a-actually look at you. It's a beautiful color, Shirogane-san. It's a color that soothes people's heart." Koguma's face was beet red when he finished.

"Thanks, it's been awhile since I've heard that~" Shirogane's expression was complicated while he thanked the boy for his compliment. Perhaps it seemed awkward to be complimented by another guy.

"I-I don't mean to embarrass you! T-that's why, that's why—I…" Koguma trailed off, he paused for a moment to compose himself. "There are days when I admire you. Your height, your outgoing attitude, and many other things-"

"What about the weirdo factor?" Shirogane grinned, "do you want that too?"

"Erh—erm… M-maybe not." Koguma declined Shirogane's offer.

"And here I thought I'll have a comrade~ We could form a comedian group or something~ Like calling it the Weirdo Duo, or whatever~" The reporter pouted. "Well, for everything there's a price."

"Yeah," the writer agreed, and the room was in silence.

"Anyway, let's wrap this up." Shirogane was the first to break the silence. "What would you like to say to the audience who will be watching the play~?"

"Hmm—" Koguma pondered. There are many things he would like to say to the audience, but he decided to keep it simple at the end. "This is my first play on stage, and I hope that everyone could enjoy it as much as I did writing it." He ended it with a smile and Shirogane took a picture of him at that moment.

"Kuhihi~ Thanks Koguma-kun~" The reporter started to pack up his things.

"Y-you're welcome. I s-should be the one saying that." The timid Koguma is back. "Oh? You dropped something, Shirogane-san. Here." Koguma's hand reached for the bookmark on the floor. It was a pressed flower bookmark that looked like it has been used for a long time, but the care and the love of the owner allowed it to withstand the years of usage.

"T-thanks." Shirogane touched the bookmark in his hand delicately.

"The color of the flower," Koguma noticed, "it matches your hair perfectly. What is the name of the flower?" Shirogane didn't speak and Koguma caught the cue. "Oh it's alright, I shouldn't be ask-"

"Anemone." Shirogane put his treasure back into his notebook. "It's called Anemone."

"I see. It must be very important to you." Koguma could figure out that much.

"Koguma-kun? What do you think about people who try to right their wrong? The means may be terrible but it will make things right?"

Koguma was surprised by Shirogane's question, he didn't see it coming. He sighed and said, "Before that, I think they should apologize sincerely. Maybe it will take some time before they are forgiven, but it will happen. People want forgiveness because they love—to a certain extent—those whom they've wronged. Though forgetting it is another matter—"

"I'll use that as a reference, thank you." Shirogane turned around to leave.

"Shirogane-san?" Koguma stopped the reporter from leaving. "I think you will make a great actor on the stage."

"I see~ But there is no room for a weirdo like me~ Kuhihi~" Shirogane left the drama club with his trademark laugh.

"I meant it." Koguma said to himself in the empty room. "I really do."

* * *

><p>Koguma still couldn't believe Shirogane would be on the stage, on <em>his<em> stage. It was as if someone eavesdropped on the interview he had and granted his wish. _It was too smooth, too convenient, too— No, it couldn't be._ Koguma felt his hands shaking and he tried his best to control them. He told himself that he was just imagining things. After all, he writes stories, and it's natural of him to use his imagination and let it takes him wherever possible, but this is going too far beyond his usual fantasies. Koguma looked at Shirogane once again, the latter waved at him in his costume and he waved back. Yes, he must've been imagining things, that's all.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: And another chapter of the Aurelian arc! I felt that this section is longer than it should be. When I was at the 5-page mark, I was like, "Oh no, did I just sidetrack again?" With much effort spent on taking out chunks off the original file, what you've read is the edited version.

This chapter could be problematic for many people _— _at least to Aozora fans. This has to do with Koguma's conjecture and his definition of _coward_. Shirogane thought Koguma was referencing the literal meaning of coward, but what Koguma actually meant (for a lack of a better word), is people who lack the agency to resist the simple reasoning of '_I had to because I was told to.'_ It was the very sense of learned helplessness and apathy which made them _coward_. This is why Koguma's coward was italicized while Shirogane's didn't. At any rate, I apologize to Aozora fans who may feel offended by this conclusion and impression I have for him.

Koguma, Koguma, Koguma. I don't know him too well, but I imagined him as a character who has an insight with things, it's just that his shyness gets in his way and he has a lot of passion for writing and drawing. So although he may be "weak" as he says, his observation on people makes up for it. I probably didn't capture him too well, so I apologize again to Koguma's fans and those who played After Summer.

**KairaKara101**: Thank you very much for leaving me a review as soon as I've posted the chapter! I was really thrilled to read that you would be waiting for my story until the world ends! I am really honoured to receive such a generous compliment from you! :) This chapter should raise several questions, or perhaps answered them from the previous one. Every time I write Shirogane, I have to resist myself from writing all the spoilerific bits and save them for the revelation chapter, haha. I hope the direction I am sending Shirogane towards wouldn't make him seem like an awful person. Well, I hope. XD


	11. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 5

"Rise and shine, my sweet Argence."

The silver maiden opened her eyes but she shut them immediately when she felt her eyes were exposed to the piercing lights. She winced and opened them again slowly to adjust to the surrounding.

"When did I? What is this place, it's so-"

"Dark?" Azurlean finished the sentence for her. Argence moved out of the light and looked around. This place was pitch black, and the only source of light seemed came from somewhere very far above. It was hanging down like a string of spider thread, the kind that people would hold on to when it is the only means to get out of a desperate situation.

"Azurlean—" Argence's voice sounded unsure and worried. She could feel herself shaking.

"Sorry my dear, you are supposed to shine under the light." The blue haired gentleman clapped twice and the stage was lit with the minimal amount of lighting. The two were standing in a room with elaborate decorations. "How do you like it so far, Argence?"

The girl looked at the source of the light from above and then towards the gentleman in front of him. "I-it was the best I could ever ask for." She could feel that this place was emitting an eerie aura, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Excellent, I am glad you are taking a liking to it." Argence couldn't see the face of Azurlean in the dim light, but she could hear that her response satisfied him. "Come, take a walk with me. There is something I would like to show you." He invited her with his hand, but she didn't take it. "We don't have the whole day, _my dear_." Argence shivered when he made the emphasis. Nonetheless, she took his hand with reservations. "Good, _very good_." He was pleased by her choice.

"As the two walked down the gloomy hallway, Argence couldn't help but to notice the paintings. These paintings looked as though they were alive. They all appeared to have some kind of magic in it." It was Koguma, his voice came into the play again. "She felt these paintings were looking at her, eyeing her, measuring her. It was as though she was under the surveillance of her predators, and it would be only a matter of time she is being devoured by their glares."

"Have you heard the story of the lost color of Chromatia?" Azurlean stopped in front of a map with lands and regions painted in myriads of colors. Argence shook her head.

"In a time immemorial, the land of Chromatia was populated by tribes, and each tribe governs a color that exists in the land. Everyone lived in harmony under the governance of the Aurulant and the Argento tribe. It was an era of peace and prosperity. However, it was short lived. A demon king from another world was jealous of the fabulous colors in Chromatia. He unleashed his fiercest legions and brought terror to the land." The painting of the map turned into a painting of a demon wrecking havoc to the inhabitants of Chromatia. The audience who were watching were amazed by the changing painting and made a sound of surprise.

"One after another, the tribes were defeated by the menacing army. The spectrum crystals were seized from them and colors were gradually taken away from the land with each tribe that has fallen. 'We must do something!' said the representative of the Verdant tribe. 'I agree,' said the warrior of Amarillo. 'But what could we do?' asked the tribesman of Saffron. 'We are weak, and if the defeat of the Chalybeous tribe didn't teach any of us that—' the Roseate tribesman added. No one said anything after that." Azurlean paused and the previous painting had changed into one with the aforementioned tribes having a meeting.

The voices for the tribesmen came from Tachibana, Nashimoto, Awata and Kakino respectively. They were all from the department of astronomy.

"But then, a young warrior spoke up," continued Azurlean.

Koguma handed a mic over to Shirogane quickly and pointed to a line in the script for him to read.

"'I will go!' said a young man clad in gold. 'I will defeat the demon and bring peace to the land again!' The young man made a fist and slammed it on the table to prove his determination. 'You mustn't,' said the warrior of Amarillo, 'we can't afford to have the heir of the Aurulant tribe take this risk! Your tribe and the Argento tribe are our last hope!' The young man slammed his fist on the table again, 'which is why I must go!' 'Then take me with you.' It was the heiress of Argento, she smiled at her fiancé." Azurlean took his eyes away from the painting and looked at Argence, but she only blinked at him.

"The two travelled across the land to defeat the demon king's henchmen one after another. They retrieved the spectrum crystal for each one they have defeated, and at last, they have made their way to the demon king's castle." The painting changed again with the people rejoicing the return of their lost colors.

"The battle between the two warriors and the demon king went on for days. Eventually, the warriors' stamina couldn't keep up with the great power of the demon king. Just when he was about to deal the finishing blow towards the fallen heir of the Aurulant tribe, the heiress of Argento put herself between the two. Her spectrum crystal was shattered instantly, and the Aurulant young man could do nothing but to watch his companion, his lover fell in front of him."

"The young man screamed and cried. He didn't care if a shard of the broken crystal took out one of his eyes. He went berserk. He waved his sword at the demon king in fury, and in one raging blow, he stabbed the demon king in the heart with a surprise attack. The demon king in his dying breath cursed the heir. He pointed at the young man and said, 'you are my successor, the next in line.' Then the demon king turned into dust and vanished." The painting scrolled away and showed the young man with his sword and the dying demon king.

"He held onto the girl he loved, but nothing could stop him from transforming into the demon which he just slain. His memory of the girl started to fade as her color disappeared from the land of Chromatia. The color of gold has lost its companion forever."

"I don't like this story," Argence interrupted. "It was," she put her hands on her chest, "it was too depressing."

"My dear Argence," Azurlean looked at her and put his hands on her shoulder, "you will have the chance to change this."

"I-I do?" She couldn't believe the words she was told.

"Yes you do." Azurlean smiled. He leaned closer to Argence and whispered something into her ear. "They are the magic words," he added mischievously. The silver maiden was about to open her mouth and repeat what the man told her, but he stopped her in time. "Not yet, not here, not now." Azurlean placed his index finger on her lips. The girl understood and nodded.

"What happened to the Aurulant warrior?" The girl was curious despite the fact that she didn't like the tragedy in it. "A-azurlean?"

"Perhaps you should ask the man-" Azurlean stopped to correct himself, "the thing when he arrives." He sounded excited and laughed several times.

"Halcyon!" Argence cried, "Is this Halcyon you are talking about?" She grabbed Azurlean and begged him not to hurt the beast.

"Tsk tsk tsk, sweet heart. You're not a very good listener, are you?" He laughed at the girl, but this time, it was cold and merciless. "I said, you will have the chance to change things around." He walked behind her slowly and gracefully. "Until then—" he whispered something into her ear again. "Sleep." The girl let the gravity take her as she fell into slumber. Azurlean took the girl into his arms and left the corridor they were standing. The painting on the wall revealed another picture with a beast burying something shiny into the soil which blooms into a flower.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note<strong>: Hi everyone, thanks for reading! I am trying my best to finish this arc, haha. So I would like to finish this within a week or two if time permits. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I think this section clears up some of the plot in the play itself. All that remains is- Oops, I almost said it. It would be spoilerific if I list the questions that are left with the play. I hope that I did all the foreshadowing right and didn't mix up with what the audience see, what the characters in the play should know, and what the readers know. This is my first time trying something complex as this. I guess I might be too ambitious. :p

The name of the tribe corresponds to a color (and if people haven't noticed by now, the characters' names as well).

Oh yeah, I am not familiar with the functions on so I just discovered there are people who've added this fic as their favourite, or put this on their alert. I'd love to name you guys, but I don't want to put you guys on the spot either. Please send me a PM and let me know it is okay with me having shout out for you guys! Thank you all!

**Sai**: Thanks! This play/arc is probably a major foreshadowing for the later chapters, which is why Anemone is making an appearance. I was worried about Shirogane being "too explosive", but seeing that you find the "explosion" alright, I guess it was fine. XD

For Koguma, I think that as a scriptwriter/mangaka that he is, he should have a better "understanding" of behaviors for characters in general. As a result, it took me some time to think about "smart things" for him to say, although I am not even sure whether they make him sound "smart" or not. As for the play's relationship with Shirogane and Shiranui's past, there will be somethings which may be "similar". After all, Koguma (and most of the people) didn't/shouldn't know about the past, so at this point in time, I'll say that "it's a coincident if it is". XD

**KairaKara101**: Thank you! I bet it might've been the weirdness that makes him attractive! I wish he could make more appearances in the anime though. (Heck the anime was too short, even when it has 26 episodes! Do want more! :p)


	12. The Aurelian Beast and the Moonflower 6

"The beast stopped in front of the entrance with two giant monuments standing guard. He had been following the scent of Argence for the last two days, and her scent stopped here. The beast must find the whereabouts of the Moonflower tonight, because the flower could only live for 3 days after it got separated and disappeared from his sight, and the key to all this is Argence." Koguma read the script with a tone that is analogous to the situation going on in the play.

"This, is the Garden of-"

An actress with bluish green hair appeared in front of Shirogane. It almost made Shirogane stop breathing because he couldn't believe she would be in this play as well. She is the only person he could never get things to have it his way. Shirogane gulped and swallowed hard, but the actress' mischievous glare which shot through him didn't offer him any solace – she knew who he is. The woman in front of him is the school's chairwoman, Koharu Hoshizuki.

"Pramisanae," said the beast. He was trying very hard not to let his voice betray his feelings. There is fear and respect in his words.

"It's been a long time." The woman nodded and smiled at him. "How long was it? Ten? Twenty? Or was it _fifty_ thousand years?"

The beast said nothing.

"Look at you," Pramisanae touched and felt him, "is _this_ what you have become after _that_?"

The beast remained in silence.

"Where is she?" The curious woman looked around, then she looked sad as though she figured out the whole story. "Ah, I see! So this is why you are here!"

"Show me the way." The beast reminded himself that he should be careful with his words, but he couldn't control his anxiety.

"My, my, my! How cold of you to meet an _old friend_ here, yet you speak to me as though I am a stranger who deserves your contempt. I am hurt. Should I remind you that my offer of _friendship_ still stands?" Pramisanae's index finger was playing around with his fur.

"You should know," said the beast impatiently, "that I do not have a choice whether I like to be here or not." Shirogane would like to be done with the play as soon as possible. Not to mention that the woman standing in front of him keeps on giving him the chills – both on and off the stage.

"Of course, and you should know how much I'd like to help you. After all, I _fancy_ you since the day I've set my eyes on _you_." She leaned closer and gave the beast a kiss on the forehead. "Very, _very_ much." Then she took his paw into her hand and led him into the garden.

"Eons ago, before the existence of Chromatia, there was an era when the gods dwell on the land. They coexisted with humans, until the day when humans started to thirst for power and domination. The gods started to fear their greed, and they knew that it was only a matter of time before their powers will be sought and manipulated by the humans. So in order for them not to become adversaries of the human greed, the gods gathered and decided that they should use their powers to teach the humans a lesson. This garden, built by the goddess – Pramisanae – is one of the remains of gods' lesson to mankind." Koguma provided the context of the area to the audience.

"Look over there," Pramisanae pointed towards the crowd of people fighting in a distance not too far from them. These people were in a trance and they didn't seem to notice the two who just stumbled upon them. "People haven't learned the fact that their greed and desire will kill them in this garden of illusion," said the goddess with amusement.

"Why are you showing me this?" The beast couldn't understand what this goddess is doing. She has got all the time in this world, but he doesn't. Pramisanae loosened her hand and walked away from the beast.

"Wait!" Halcyon called after her, but she kept walking and disappeared into the verdant sea. "Dammit!" He swore at the goddess. "I have done this before and I can do it again!" He roared and slammed his fist into a tree nearby. He noticed a familiar scent and turned around his head around, but he couldn't believe what his eyes saw.

"Argence?" The figure shook her head and gave him a bitter smile.

Shirogane was once again in awe at Yahisa's costume. She looked as though she is the Joan of Arc. Her costume is still in silver like Argence's, however, instead of a silver dress with her hair in braids, she was clad in armor and her hair in a ponytail. As soon as Yahisa realized Shirogane was mesmerized by her new look, she blushed and averted her eyes from him.

"You are not Argence, you are-" The beast tried to search for this person's name without avail. He knew he probably met her somewhere, but he couldn't recall.

"It's okay, Halcyon." The girl tried to comfort him and reach out her hand to touch him, but she only caught herself – Halcyon withdrew from her before she could touch him. She looked disappointed for a moment and then resumed with her words. "Halcyon-"

"Don't call me that," the beast roared and interrupted her, "I don't even know who you are! I have a feeling I should know you, but I can recall nothing about you in my head, absolutely nothing!"

"It's okay, H-" The girl stopped herself before she made the same mistake again. "Why don't you consider me as a companion for now?"

"Hmph." The beast didn't say anything, he followed her quietly after that.

"The two kept on walking without exchanging a word. The beast knew it should be late in the afternoon already, but when he looked upon the sky that is crowded by the branches and leaves of the trees, he could feel the scorching afternoon sun shining down on him." The backstage crew immediately increased the amount of lights on the stage. "The beast surveyed his surrounding and saw a pond nearby. He felt nostalgic, but just like before, he couldn't understand why he felt this way."

"What's wrong?" The girl asked. "Are you tired? Do we need to take a break?"

"No," Halcyon replied coldly. "Let's move," he urged and the girl nodded in response.

"They resumed walking again in the garden. Just the same as before, they didn't speak to one another, even though the girl turned around every now and then to check on the beast as if she got something she wanted to say." Koguma spoke as the background on the stage switch from one scene to another. He could still remember how difficult it was for him to communicate with the props team what he wanted to do with the never ending garden on the stage. After a lot of thinking and considering, he suggested the idea of having a revolving board background which would allow the actors to stay in the same spot while they also appeared to be moving.

"Hold up," Halcyon called the girl in front of him. She turned around immediately but she didn't ask him what he wants. "What do you think you are doing?" The "moving" background stopped, it was the same background where the two were moments ago – the pond. "Is this a joke?" The beast pointed at the pond angrily.

The girl shook her head and told him that it wasn't her.

"Lies!" The beast was furious, he had enough of the goddess earlier, and now he is completely fed up with the situation. "You are the one who walks ahead of me!"

The girl shook her head again, but this time she spoke. "You should know this place better than anyone else-"

"What do you know about me!" The beast was scornful, he felt the more he progresses the less he understands.

Shirogane too, he couldn't understand what is going on. He asked for the script while Yahisa and Kouji were on the stage. He tried to remember what little he read, but Koguma simply told him that he should act annoyed most of the time and play by the ear. Shirogane wondered why Koguma never really asked him to memorize anything other than letting him know the "general" plot. _"Perhaps it's part of the play?"_ He laughed at the ironic idea that came to his mind. _"As if having a weirdo for the play isn't enough to put on a show." _

"You will never get out of this garden," said the girl matter-of-factly. "At least not in the state you are in right now."

"What?" Halcyon sounded as though a death sentence has been handed to him. "Stop playing mind games with me! Say it, what is it that you want!"

"This place," the girl started explaining, "is a place that will respond to your desire, your greed. What you want is what you will see." She gestured to her head with an index finger to illustrate her point. She was calm and if she had been Argence, she would be severely intimidated by now.

"If what you are saying is true, then who are you?"

"I cannot answer that," the girl sounded sad for the first time.

Halcyon was speechless. He looked around carefully and understood why everything was familiar to him.

"However, I can tell you this: you cannot advance because you have unresolved issues." She looked straight into his eyes, and again, she pointed towards her head.

Yahisa's voice was stern and stoic that it seemed like an accusation towards Shirogane. Of course, she had no intention of doing that, but it just sounded like that to him. He knew something was wrong ever since he got into this play. Everything just felt so strange and foreign to him. It was as though there is some sort of magic on the stage that keeps on beckoning him to reopen the Pandora's Box which he tried very hard to seal away after it was opened the first time. He was wary of what happened to him when he mentioned the flower and he regretted for doing it. These feelings he tried to keep under control are behaving unexpectedly. He couldn't tell whether they would cause him to commit the same thing earlier or perhaps more.

"Shirogane-senpai," Yahisa whisper woke him up and reminded him that he is still on the stage.

The beast jerked his head up awkwardly. "Heh, so the other way out of this goddamn garden is to either end up in despair or die."

"Despair stems from hope," the girl answered without hesitation, "as long as you have desires, you will long for them and have hopes for them. The fact that despairs manifest is because people realized what they desire cannot come true. In other words, the existence of despair is the very proof that not all hopes were lost; the desire is still there deep inside." She pointed towards his chest where the heart is. "As for death, unfortunately, you as the demon king cannot die from natural causes, you can only be defeated."

"Hahaha," the beast laughed, "hahahahahahahaha!" It was hysterical with an undertone of sadness. "Then tell me! What can I do to get out of here? I don't know where she is, I don't know who you are, I don't even know what it is that I need to resolve! So tell me, if you are truly a part of me, then you will know what I seek and what I desire!"

"Look around you. Think about why you are here, who you are doing this for, and for what purpose." The girl pointed to her head the third time. "How were you able to get out of this garden?"

"I, I-" The beast clutched his head. "This garden-"

The girl didn't interrupt the beast. She sat down and watched him quietly and attentively.

Two children appeared several meters next to Shirogane and Yahisa on the stage. One was dressed gold and the other was dressed in silver. Shirogane wasn't prepared for his, so he was kind of glad the spotlights that had been shining above him followed those children. He gestured to Yahisa with limited movements and gave her a curious look. He couldn't tell who those children were because they had their wigs on. Yahisa whispered the names "Kanade" and "Shirabe", the twin younger sisters of Kanakubo.

"There you are!" It was Kanade, she offered her hand to her twin in gold.

"Why are you the one who can always find me? Why do _you_ have to be the one who finds me?" Shirabe questioned. The child in silver tilted her head as though she didn't understand the question herself. "Whatever, this sucks. I'm leaving."

"Wait up!" The child took several quick steps to follow the boy in gold. "I-I promise I won't do that next time—"

"There is no next time. Go away."

"B-but I just-"

"Leave me alone, will ya? I'm tired of this."

"I-I'm sorry." The girl was disappointed by the boy's reaction, but she still tried to look happy with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow?" The young boy turned around blushing and he looked at her wanting to say something, however, he decided not to and left. The girl waved behind him.

"There you are, my dear."

"Mother? Why am I the only one who could find him?" The girl reached for her mother's hand as they both watch the boy disappeared into the bushes of the forest. "Did I do something wrong, mother?" Her mother kneeled down and brushed her hair gently.

"No, you didn't, my dear," said the mother. She noticed the tears on the corner of her daughter's eyes and sighed. "No, you didn't." She repeated to her child once again and gave her a hug.

"Wh-what is this?" The beast couldn't believe what he was seeing before his eyes. "Is this my-"

"What do you think?" Yahisa circled around Shirogane.

"Was that you?" Halcyon's eyes followed the girl wherever she went.

"Maybe?" She answered. "Or maybe not?"

"Stop this!" He roared. "Just tell me how the hell I was able to get out of this goddamn forest!"

"All you needed to do is to come to terms with yourself – to be honest with yourself"

"That's just it?" The beast scoffed. He couldn't believe it was _that_ simple.

"Indeed, but you haven't been able to achieve that so far." The girl said as a matter-of-factly. Her words pierced into the beast like an assault. The beast couldn't say anything to counter her.

"Hey," Halcyon spoke again after a moment of contemplation, "tell me one thing."

"That will depend on what you are asking."

"What color is this?" The beast produced several pieces of crystal shards on his paw. The girl didn't speak but she looked at Halcyon with surprise and joy. "These shards have been with me for a long time," he continued, "and every time when I want to get rid of them, something inside of me tells me I can't."

The girl looked at him but she was obviously moved by his question and her body shook uncontrollably. Halcyon noticed that, he didn't push her any further. The beast raised the crystal shards toward the sunlight and began speaking again, this time in a much softer and calmer tone. "There is a flower that I have been looking after for a long time amongst others, and there isn't a day that I live without being around it. Of course, not until what happened recently." He joked, and he couldn't believe he actually did what he just did. The girl nodded with a polite smile.

"I've never questioned the things around me. It was as though nothing other than the flower mattered to me. It seems that I have a purpose, but it was never _the_ purpose. It wasn't until I started questioning myself with the color of the flower." He took his eyes away from the shards and looked at the distant flora and fauna in the garden. "Those are Coral Charms," he told the girl. Then he pointed to another set of flowers and told her they are Blue Cosmos. The girl nodded as the beast told her the names of the flowers close by.

"When people came by my garden, I'd ask them if they could tell me the colors of the flower. They could tell me all of them, except for one." The beast had gone silent. In fact, it was because Shirogane had forgotten his next few lines and he thought this seemed like a good place to stop with a dramatic pause. He looked at Yahisa anxiously hoping that she would follow up on his missing cues. Yahisa simply blinked in return and Shirogane cursed his "forgetfulness" inside his head.

"This can probably do nothing to help me get out of here, but I might as well be asking you this: What color are these shards on my hand?"

There is nothing Shirogane could do but to improvise again. He simply came up with the next "possible" thing the beast could've asked and ended it there. He wondered if Yahisa realized he was stuck earlier and what he said just now is a combination of the original line, or lines.

"T-they are-" The color of the word which came out of the girl has a nostalgic tone to the beast, even though he was unable to identify it. He repeated the name on the tip of his tongue to familiarize himself.

"Thank you," he said. The beast couldn't believe what he said after he thanked her. He was shocked and he stopped himself immediately. The girl couldn't control the tears flowing in her eyes – they were tears of joy.

By now, Shirogane was quite impressed with the ability of Yahisa crying on the spot. If he got his camera with him, he would've been contemplating whether to snap photos of her or let her fly into his arms – though he'll probably want both with more emphasis on the latter.

"Halcyon!" She wiped her tears, but they wouldn't stop. The beast ran up to her until he was stopped by her hand.

"Sorry, Halcyon." Her face was beet red and her voice was broken, but she was smiling at him. "Thank you."

"Stop! Wait! I didn't know!" The girl started to disappear. "If I had known, I wouldn't have-!" He took a deep breath, "I wouldn't have asked you that question. I would forget about finding the flower and remain in this garden of illusion with you. I would never let you go-!"

"It's okay. It's really okay." The girl comforted the beast in front of her.

"B-but I just-"

"This is the garden of illusion after all," she interrupted the beast without letting him go any further.

"I-I-" Halcyon was rendered speechless. He knew what she said was true. On one hand, if he had never recalled who she is, he would be stuck in his own desperation trying to get out of the garden and go after Argence. On the other hand, if he had recalled who she is and made peace with himself, to which he did, she will disappear and make way for him to the exit of this garden.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She smiled at him like she did when she was a child. The beast understood it wasn't an invitation at all. She was just behaving the way he wanted her to be, and she was just saying what he wanted her to say. He wondered if she will stay for him, if he wanted her to. He quickly erased the thought, because he knew this isn't real. If he lingered on the thought longer, another representation of her would manifest in front of him, and this time he wouldn't be too sure he could convince himself not to stay in the illusion. The one he loved was long gone, and all this was just the works of Pramisanae and her garden.

"Yeah, I'll see you later." He waved at her and watched her until she was completely gone. Halcyon felt his heart. It was late, but he was glad he could remember who she is once again. At the same time, he felt sad that the one he saw was only a projection lodged within his sub-consciousness.

"It has been awhile since I saw her." It was Pramisanae, she stood behind Halcyon. Her hostility earlier was subsided but not gone. She sounded different and lonely. "I knew it meant trouble ever since the day she met you in this garden. She told me she found children her age and she was happy." She looked at the beast, studying his features. "Nothing could stop the two of you, not even a goddess and her magical garden. When you were young, you had no fear. You and your friends were mere fools who wandered into this garden. No matter how many times I tried to lose you in the garden, she will always find you. Even so, you two ended up together." Pramisanae sighed and recounted the events as though they happened not too long ago. "I tried to stop her when she wanted to go with you, but she wouldn't listen."

"Look, I'm-" The beast was halted by the same manner as he did before.

"Stop, I don't need it from you. She was serving her duty as the daughter of the tribe – she did this for Chromatia." She was angry. Her hands were made into fists and her knuckles turned white. "I was able to remember who she was because I am not a forgetful, greedy human like you and the rest of Chromatia! Everyday I have to watch you humans strolling in here, drowning yourselves in your greed, fantasies and desires! And there isn't a day I am not thinking about her! If I could, I would throw away my role as a goddess and live as a-" She thought about what she was about to say and knew how ridiculous she sounded both logically and as a goddess. Indeed, for a moment there she threw away her role as a goddess.

"Leave," the goddess pointed to the exit. "I don't want to see you anymore."

"The beast couldn't say anything and he started heading for the exit." Koguma's voice kicked in after a long absence without any narration. "He knew how much he hurt Pramisanae for what he had done. There was nothing he could do to make up for it. Halcyon knew the goddess could kill her, but she wouldn't, because then she would become the next demon king, and the only way for her to end her own misery is to wait for someone to defeat her. This was the first time Halcyon realized the demon king is the most miserable existence in the world – to survive means to be hurt or to hurt others_._ It is an endless world with an endless spiral of pain."

Koguma's last few sentences got to Shirogane again. He couldn't count how many times he had to be reminded of what he did. If he could scream, he would do it right then and there, but he wasn't about to do something like this. He wouldn't want anyone to know what he did. What he did was shameful and despicable. He knew if it were known to others, they would beat him up and shun him for the rest of his life. It would be quick of course, but what about her? She would be forced to relive the trauma again. Just like Pramisanae, forever and ever again for the rest of her life.

"When this is over," said Shirogane, "and if I am alive, you can do whatever you want to me. Your garden is my prison." It wasn't particularly therapeutic or cathartic, but Shirogane felt the need to say it. The headmistress raised an eyebrow to his words. He knew it probably mean little to nothing to those who had no idea what he meant. To him, however, it meant a lot. If Pramisanae's garden exists in real life, he wouldn't mind being chained in there and reliving every single moment of the events on that day.

"I will _never_ forgive you," the goddess vanished the same time as her sentence was done.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: Thank you so much to all of you who is still reading this! This is supposed to be done back in August, but my work schedule came in and August ended up extremely busy (along with several things that happened in life). I am very very grateful to those of you who are still reading this. I understand that my long absence could affect the interest in this fic, so it's perfectly fine if people ended up dropping this series. I apologize sincerely to everyone who is looking forward to this eagerly and checking the site for updates every single day.

Koharu, Shirabe and Kanade's appearance in this chapter isn't what I originally had in mind when I wrote the outline. As I revised the script several times, I figured I might as well add them into the play so that the fic wouldn't revolve only a handful of people. :p Pramisanae is an anagram to another word, if anyone's interested, please feel free to check it out. Hint: Her name is similar to what her garden does. There seems to be a lot of things in the play that aren't answered directly. I didn't bother with the explanation because I think they could be inferred with the reader's imagination. So to those who are still reading, I encourage you to use your imagination! XD And if you're stuck, the garden itself is the answer. I would like to explain more about the garden, but it appears I may spoil people with the story, as usual - pass!

**KairaKara101**: Yeah, the whole anime thing feels like 13 episodes to me as well. I would like to see all the games turned into anime, now that would be "complete"! Haha, I would love to ask what you anticipate the ending would be, but I think I'll have to save it for later. XD

**The Pisces too lazy to log in**: I tried to put more Shirogane's thoughts in this chapter without revealing too much. So I hope that you will be able to guess what might've went on in the past. And I agree with you there needs to be more fics with minor characters in them! XD

**Sai**: Yes, Koguma isn't supposed to know about anyone's past. Sometimes, there are things people say without meaning or pointing to something specifically. However, those who are mindful will try to relate everything to something. In this case, Shirogane knew he did something very wrong in the past, so when he took the role of the beast (who also did something wrong in the past), Shirogane was reminded of the things he committed. Although the nature of Shirogane's past offence and the beast are very different, they have both caused harm to those around them. So from time to time Shirogane collided his own identity with the beast during the play. I would like to go deeper but that would be spoiler, hahaha.


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